I'm So Glad I Found You
by ScorpionCyclone555
Summary: Young girl with a name and a past, that's all they know and that's all she'll tell. She's scared, strong and all alone in this world. Not for long though, perhaps she's found her true home after all. Sequel coming soon! (Slow Editing)
1. Crazy Troubles

***In the garage***

"Team! We got a case" Cabe yells as he strut into the garage with his files tucked under his arm. The garage door slamming shut behind him. Walter emerged from the loft followed by Paige who was hastily straightening her shirt and hair. She was trying her best to reduce the amount of redness in her cheeks. Happy and Toby got up from the table they were eating at. As Toby stood, he grunted as he attempted to rid his back of any stiffness, and they made their way to the table in the center of the main room. The place they usually go over their weekly cases. Sylvester on the other hand was already at his desk, doing who knows what on his computer. Ralph had been dropped off at school fairly early for a special project he was helping his teacher with. Who apparently didn't know what she was doing, as Ralph had claimed. So the whole team was up and ready to work.

"Let's get started." Cabe said with a clap of his his hands when the team was assembled before he launched into the debriefing.

***In the streets***

The sound of panting was only challenged by the sound of worn converse sneakers hitting the sidewalk as 12 year old Sage ran for her life. Her golden blond hair glinting in the morning sun like streamers from her hoodie but she couldn't stop to fix it. She'd never considered herself 'out of shape' but she was starting to have difficulty breathing. One quick glance back told her the two massive men chasing her hadn't missed a step. Part of her wondered how they could do it being as big as they were, while another part of her started frantically trying to come up with a plan. Puzzles were something she usually loved, but she wasn't loving this one. An idea formed as her dark brown eyes landed on a want-to-be something teen boy ahead of her. His backwards hat and sagging pants that showed off at least five inches of boxer made her inwardly grown in disgust, but he held a skateboard, that she knew she could use and didn't hesitate to rip it from his hands as she ran past.

"Hey" he yelled, as she ran passed and snatched it out of his hands rather forcefully.

"Sorry, it's an emergency" she yelled back. Throwing it to the ground, and jumping on. Kicking off a few times with her foot. She pushed and pushed against the ground with her beat up, black converse as she tried to gain speed, and overall gain the upper hand of the chase. The momentum soon built up before she was swerving into back alleys, easily losing the two men. This was her turf. This place she knew like the back of her hand,now she had the advantage.

She stopped the skateboard abruptly, then winced at the high pitched screech that resulted. She jumped off as soon as it was safe then rushed to an old worn and molded bench. It looked as if the wall it was leaning against was the only thing holding it up as as the tattered black awning above kept it in a thick shadow from the sun. She grabbed an old grey backpack lying beneath it, containing her belongings, before she went to retrieve the skateboard laying in the middle of the back alley, then she saw the two men from earlier round the corner. Their clothes were tattered, and their sleeves were torn to expose muscled and tattooed arms. She could tell that the effort they had put on catching up with her had put a toll on their energy.

"Crap, crap, crap" she groaned repeatedly. She kicked the skateboard, spinning it to face in the right direction before she hopped on, pushing off as hard as she could with her foot.

Suddenly a nice black Cadillac Escalde came out of nowhere and stopped preventing her from getting to the alley on the other side of the street. Time seemed to stop, as her mind rapidly came up with the angels and outcomes of multiple jumps, slides and landings.

"So about a 32% chance of success. Great." she whispered, sarcastically, closing her eyes, and preparing to jump over the hood of the stopped SUV.

***In the SUV***

"Cabe, Cabe!, CABE!,Go Go GO!" Toby squealed from the backseat, screaming like a little girl and banging on the headrest in front of him. He could see the young girl riding full speed at the vehicle's large, black, hood.

"No, Don't! If she knows how to ride that thing she has about a 32% chance of making that jump. Which she probably won't, judging by her size and age. If we move up, that chance changes drastically to a .35% chance of success" Sylvester yelled from behind Cabe. Nervously gripping the doors handles, and closing his eyes. Waiting for impact, that he probably wouldn't even feel. Cabe listened to Sylvester in the split second he had to make a decision. He witnessed the small girl, close her eyes, crouch, grab the bottom of the skateboard and jump perfectly over the hood of the car. Like she's done it a million times before. And landing with a little jolt on the other side, causing her to tumble off the board and into the road.

They all watched and winced as she rolled across the hard concrete. Ripping the sleeve of her flannel, badly, and leaving a long, bloody scrape along her arm. She scowled at it, and pressed on the cut with her hand, with a little bit of the blood slipping through her fingers. Her ankle didn't feel all that right, and her knee had been mildly scraped, but she scrambled up off the ground anyway.. She gathered up her backpack in a hurry, and limped over to where the skateboard had skidded off, after her not so graceful landing. She didn't even pay any mind to them in the SUV as she took back off down the alley, while still cradling her left arm. Cabe let out his breath he had been holding and leaned back in the seat after she landed. Releasing his death grip on the poor steering wheel.

Towards the end of the alley they saw the two guys running in the same direction the girl had went. One yelling and pointing to her disappearing figure as she slipped into another alley. They squeezed around the SUV's front and chased after her. Yelling profanities, and things that didn't seem all too nice to be yelling at a girl that age.

"I'm getting out" Toby said quickly scrambling over the seats and people in front of him, causing a lot of grunts and scowls, then made his way to the door, and jumped out. Which turned out to be harder than he anticipated, especially when you're a grown man, crawling across other grown adults in a very tightly packed vehicle.

"Meet me at the corner of Prince and 1st!" he yelled, before slamming the door shut, and running behind the SUV, and back down a different alley. Happy and Sylvester watched out the back window as he ran down the street. Disappearing around a corner.

"What the heck is he doing?" Happy said, watching him run that ridiculous run of his. He was pretty fast for his age and build.

"Who knows," Cabe grumbles, pulling out of the alley and into the busy streets.

"The Doc's crazier than all of us"


	2. Life Leaves Scars

Toby quickly ran out of breath. Hands on his knees, and breathing heavily as he waited at the corner he had told Cabe to pick him up at. After about a minute or so of waiting, the girl from earlier came speeding down the alleyway on her skateboard, watching nervously behind her, as she skated towards him. Toby braced himself for impact, squeezing his eyes closed, as she fell straight into him. Knocking him to the ground, flat on his back, while she landed on his chest, the skateboard skidding in the opposite direction.

"Well hi there" He jokes breathlessly, from the wind being knocked out of him. He smiles at the frightened girl sprawled across his chest. She scrambled up and off him. Gathering her belongings that fell out her backpack, as best she could with one arm, and was about to bolt back down the alley again. Toby grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her so she was trapped behind his back. She fought against him, but he kept a firm grip on her wrist. Tightening his hold while she struggled, but being careful of the scrape on her arm. Soon the two goons chasing her, came from around the corner. They paused for a moment and looked at Toby and Sage. They started yelling at each other again, in a language she would guess as Dutch, as they sprinted towards them. Sage saw Toby glance at the ground towards a broken pipe laying near his foot then back up at the goons. He was mumbling something to himself, and kept looking down at the pipe on the ground. She could see the nervous glint in his eyes, along with the sweat running down his forehead and forming in his palm around her wrist. Sage tried one last desperate attempt to slip away, but Toby held a firm hold of her behind him, it was beginning to become painful for her arm to struggle against him. A car's screeching tires could be heard in the distance, as the two men were almost on top of them. At the last possible second, Toby let go of her arm, and kicked the loose pipe against the wall, bouncing it up and into his hand. He bashed one of the two goons in the head, then quickly doing the same to the other. Knocking both of them to the ground. Large goose-eggs already forming on their temples as they fell backwards, onto the cement. Their chests lifted and fell from their rhythmic breathing assuring Toby the men lived. Toby dropped the pipe beside him and had the most giddy expression on his face.

"I can't believe I just did that" he mumbled triumphantly to himself, staring at the two men lying on the cement in front of him with a large grin. Sage stood wide eyed staring at the man that just saved her hide. Forgetting about her effort to get away for a moment, ignoring the pain coming from her bleeding arm and throbbing ankle. A few feet away from them, a car door slammed and a very angry woman, known as Happy jumped out and yelled at Toby while marching towards them. Her combat boots making loud clomping sound as she stomped towards them.

"Tobias M. Curtis! What the heck do you think you were doing?!" her brows angled downwards in annoyance, accompanied by a frown. Grabbing the sides of his face, and pulling him to her level, while checking for any injuries. Holding his face between her two small hands.

"I was just doing this little lady a favor is all" Toby replied, gesturing to Sage, with a smug look on his face. While Sage just grimaced at his nickname. Which Toby subtly took note of, while he gently pulled his face out of Happy's grasp. Happy looked over at Sage, while lowering her hands from his face, then she looked at the two guys, sprawled out on the ground. Then finally looking back at Toby with an expression of pure disbelief. Much like the one he had on his face earlier.

"You?..." she asked, eyebrows raised in doubt. She didn't even bother to finish her thought, she was very confused. Toby smirked and nodded, bending down to pick up the pipe on the ground he had used to hit the two trouble makers with, and showed it off to Happy. Happy spun on her heels, walking back to the SUV and climbed in silently. Sitting in her seat, and crossing her arms while looking stubbornly out the window. Everyone looked at Toby expectantly, waiting for him to get in the SUV, so they can head back to the garage, and finish up with the case, using the information they've already gathered. Instead he walked up to Sage. Who was still re-gathering her things and stuffing them back in her backpack. She must not have zipped it up all the way earlier. She grabbed the skateboard that had rolled away during the encounter, and was about to run off again, until Toby called her out.

"Hey, come on. I need to talk to you" he said. Gesturing for her to follow him to the SUV, "and I think I can do something about those injuries" Sage looked hesitant, but nodded. This was the man that helped her she could trust him enough not to hurt her, at least for the moment. 'If he wanted to do her any serious harm, he would have done it already right?' she thought. Plus, she really didn't feel like nursing her arm and ankle any time soon. She didn't even have the proper materials to do that. She climbed into the back of the SUV tentatively and sitting next to Happy in the middle seat. Then Toby clambered in after her, and sat beside her. She was sandwiched between them in the very back.

'Lovely,' Cabe grumbled.

"What the heck do you think you're doing Doc? I already gotta babysit you kids!"

"It's fine, I would just like to ask her a few things back at the garage. As well as a free fix-up for that arm we caused her" Toby explained jutting a thumb at her bloody arm that she was attempting to wrap up with her torn sleeve. Cabe muttered under his breath as he put the car into drive and sped off back towards the garage.

"What exactly do you plan on asking her Toby?" Walter asked from the front seat, looking down at the computer screen he was oh so focused on.

"I just would like to know why she was being chased. I thought that it might just be a little relevant to what we are working on" he replied, glancing at Sage who was nervously spinning the skateboards wheels between her knees. "I'll explain it all when we get back to the garage"

"I actually have a question" Sylvester spoke up, and turning in his seat, to face them in the back. Sage looked up at the man sitting in the seat in front of her, and the woman sitting beside him. Tilting her head to the side.

"How did you know how to jump over the hood of the van? I mean, that's a really big jump" he asked. Sage tensed up just a bit at the question. She forced a laugh and smiled innocently looking down and playing with the wheels again.

"Lucky first try, I guess".

"Phft, that's a lie" Toby coughed under his breath. Paige shot him a glare and turned to look back at Sage.

"Wait, that was your first time jumping over a car like that?!" Sylvester exclaimed, his eyes widening. Sage winced making a mental note of his perceptiveness towards her not so discreet answers. 'I don't need any additional attention regarding my intellect, so it would be best to play it safe for now' she thought, attempting to come up with a more fitting answer as to why she was able to jump the hood of a large SUV her first time riding a skateboard.

"Just to let you know I'm a Harvard trained behaviorist. So I would advise telling the truth" Toby says. Happy glares at him causing him to receive yet another smack to the back of his head. After that Sage pursed her lips in silence the rest of the way to the garage, never answering Sylvester's or anyone else's questions.

After they reached the garage everybody climbed out. Toby had climbed out after Paige, followed by Sage then Happy. He put out a hand after he got out/to help Sage down and out of the vehicle, but she ignored it and climbed out herself, jumping down beside him. Then wincing after putting too much pressure on her injured ankle.

"Just like Happy" he said, chuckling under his breath. Happy climbed out next and moved to stand beside Toby after Sage moved.

"Who's just like me?" she asked.

"The girl. She ignored me when I tried to help her out of the SUV" he said holding the door for Happy and himself to follow everyone else into the garage. Everyone was already gathered around the main area of the garage when they stepped inside, where the couch and table were, as they waited for Toby's explanation referring to Sage's affiliation to their current case. He had ran over to his desk to grab his medical bag to help fix Sage up, as promised. He shooed them off while he worked on her, telling them to go work on finding some more info on Caleb, the man they were working to find and arrest after proving true his motives. He sat down on the coffee table with Sage sitting back against the couch. He ordered Sage to take off her flannel as he dug around in his medical bag. She pulled her long hair around her neck and over her uninjured shoulder, to give Toby better access to work. She didn't completely trust him, but the way he was careful not to cause her too much pain or discomfort which definitely won him some points.

"Does this hurt?" He asked looking up at her. She shook her head as he pinched together the skin gently.

"You have a pretty high pain tolerance, where'd that come from?" He asked lightheartedly, attempting to make small talk and lighten the mood. She just shrugged her shoulders and kept quiet.

"Alright fine," he rolled his eyes, "I'll shut up" he says with a smirk.

"Thank you" she sighs wincing at the new pressure he was putting against her arm. There was a chuckle from Walter, who was sitting at his desk with his computer set up in front of him. He apparently had heard their short exchange.

"You shut up Walt" Toby grumbled, pulling out a roll of gauze from his bag. Walter didn't say anything just nodded his head and continued working, but he couldn't hide the amused grin on his face.

"Alright, so you don't need any stitches, but it's still going to need antibacterials applied to it everyday. The bandages should be replaced as well, to prevent any infection." He says taking her arm and tightly wrapping the gauze around it.

"Do you have any of that at home?" He asks, when he's done. Putting the leftover gauze back into the bag.

"Uhhh," Sage frowns, "no, I don't." Her brows lowering in worry, as Toby began removing her shoe to look at her ankle.

"It's okay, I'll give you some to use after I'm finished here." Then he fell quiet while examining her foot. The garage was quiet, with everyone else sitting at their desks with blank stares as they were getting no closer to finding anything else that could be of possible help to their case. Once in awhile Toby would mutter something to himself, but other than that it was peaceful. Sage didn't have the urge to run off for the first time in a while. Toby wrapped up her ankle with an ace bandage and carefully put her sock and shoe back on.

"I'm not going to check out your knee if you don't want me to, because that would mean you'd have to take off your pants, and from the looks of it it doesn't look like anything worse than a minor scrape." He says putting all his medical supplies away and placing his hands on his knees.

"Yeah- I don't think I need it checked out" she says with a nod and an uncomfortable smile. Then she leans down to grab her backpack at her feet. Opening it up and pulling out another flannel that isn't ripped and bloody then pulling it over her arms and straightening out the collar. While Toby makes himself comfortable on the couch next to her. It doesn't take long before the rest of the team is gathered around them, after seeing Toby sit down on the couch, and kick up his feet where he was once sitting next to Sage.

"Well?" Paige prodded after stopping a few feet away from the table.

"Oh yeah" Toby said remembering what he had said in the SUV about the case.

"So our current mission is to hunt down a dude named Caleb Smith who has basically been smuggling illegal weapons into the country and distributing some of our nation's most vital secrets. We've already hacked his records, which caim up clean, we also attempted finding one of his warehouses where he keeps the weapons, but that failed too. We basically have no more information than with what we started with, which had came from an anonymous tip, and basic research. Anyways an anonymous tip was given about Caleb distributing the private information to national enemies. And I think that tip came from this little one" he finished jutting his thumb at Sage sitting beside him. Everyone gave Toby that 'really' look that was so often used and directed towards him.

"I'm being serious" Toby says after seeing the look on everyone's faces.

"Explain what's so obvious to you then" Happy sighed, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend's antics.

"The guys chasing her were men hired by Caleb, or they at least worked for Caleb. When I hit them in the head I noticed some markings on their clothing that I had recognized in the case files. It was a stamp on the inside of their jackets," he grabs a file, and flips to one of the pictures he was talking about. Pointing out the clump of odd letters and shapes pressed tightly together on the shoulder of Caleb's jacket. He handed off the file to Sylvester so he could continue talking," Also when they were running towards us and yelling at each other. One of the men yelled 'Caleb wants her' in what I can only guess as German." He finished resting his head on the back of the couch.

"Actually, I think it was Dutch." Sage corrected looking down at her shoes, and fixing her sleeves. Everyone but Walter looked looked towards her, because he was too busy examining the file Sylvester passed over to him and apparently didn't hear what she had said. Cabe was about to comment on her remark, but Walter was quick to finish Toby's point.

"And the only reason he would be chasing her was if she had something he wanted, or she did something he didn't like" Walter said after he finally caught onto what Toby was trying to say.. As Walter rushed towards his desk Toby made a dramatic, sarcastic, and silent Tada with his arms.

"Wait! So if you knew the men worked for Caleb, then why the heck didn't you tell me so that we could I don't know...interrogate them! And put them in custody!" Cabe yelled rather annoyed at Toby for the time being. Toby's face fell into a defeated frown.

"You know, I hadn't thought about that." Toby admitted while Cabe ran his hand down his face. He's done with Toby at the moment.

"It doesn't matter," Walter interrupts grabbing his laptop from his desk. "We can still track down Caleb with her" he said, pointing at Sage. Sage was playing with the skateboard between her legs a little more as everyone continued talking about the case, and about her as if she wasn't even there. Her first instinct was to run far, far away. Fight or flight as they say, and at the moment the tension in the room was making her uncomfortable. So she really felt like flying out of there once she got the chance. She was trying to find an easy way to out and make a run for it. Toby was sitting beside her on the couch, closest to the door, making it difficult to come up with an easy and reliable escape plan. Instead she decided to force herself to relax in her environment, by standing up and exploring a bit. A little trick she's learned over the years. Nobody but Cabe payed any mind to her as she wandered from desk to desk, because as always the geniuses were too caught up in their work to take notice of anything else. Observing the contents on each, to help keep her occupied. Every one had its own story that you could read word for word by looking at the things lying around it and the way they were laying as well. She played a game of guessing which desk belonged to who, and figuring out their personalities judging by the contents of their desks.

Toby's was easy to point out, judging by the mess of everything laid across his desk. It explained a lot about what she already new of him. The other woman's desk, Paige, seemed to be very meticulous, and organized with her things. Unlike Toby. She reached Sylvester's desk and saw all the toys, comics and other things. Mostly Super Fun Guy treasures he had collected over the years. What really caught her eye was a Rubik's cube, lying on the corner of the desk. It didn't fit the personality she had guessed he had. It was lying further away from the other cubes, and the stickers were peeling at the corners. The biggest difference was the pattern displayed, or the lack of, instead of a perfect square of colors. It had been twisted and turned, until their was no pattern to be seen. It was the opposite of everything else on the desk. An OCD, articulate, perfectionist, would definitely not have a mixed up Rubik's cube so out of place. Everything else was perfect, tidy, even and in order. Everything except that Rubik's cube. There had to be something special or sentimental about it for him to just leave it that way. Sylvester turned around and saw her examining the cube in her hands. Looking at all the sides curiously. Wondering what the heck was so different about it. He rushed over and gently plucked it out of her hands and placed it back at the corner of his desk.

"That one is special, you can play with this one" he said, placing a pristine, solved Rubik's cube in her small hands.

"But it's solved" she said, when he was about to turn around and head back to the team huddled at the table in the middle of the room.

"It's too difficult, you wouldn't be able to solve it if it was mixed up" he said, turning back towards her.

"What's the fun in not trying" she asked innocently, smiling up at him.

"Okay, but don't be too upset if you can't solve it" he lectured, taking it and twisting it several times with a practiced hand, mixing up the perfect pattern. After he finished mixing it up he gave it back to her and smiled. She gave a half smile back and studied the new cube in her hands. After examining every side several times, and ingraining the picture in her mind, she looked up to make sure nobody was watching and took a single step forward, away from the desk. Placing her hands and the cube behind her back as she closed her eyes. She hadn't noticed Cabe subtly watching her in the distance, leaning against a table, as she bit her lip in the effort to remember the patterns on the cube, and their location every time she would twist a side. Cabe watched her for a few seconds before tapping Toby on the shoulder and pointing over at Sage solving the cube over by Sylvester's desk. Eventually everyone was watching her, as she squeezed her eyes shut. After about thirty seconds or so, she slowly opened both eyes, staring at the ground, and brought her hands and the cube back in front of her body. Breathing a little heavier than before. It was thrilling. She celebrated and covered her mouth, trying to contain a giggle, at the completed cube in front of her. Everybody turned their heads back to their work, before she could look up and see all of them staring. Seeing that nobody was looking she mixed it up again, and set it back on Sylvester's desk, where it should have been. She smiled and then walked up to him.

"You were right, it is hard to do," she said before going to sit back down on the couch.


	3. Saved by the Bell

"So kid, what's your name" Cabe asks, while the team discussed the circumstances.

"Anneliese Sage Reeves, but I like to be called Sage. It's easier" she responded with a grunt looking down at her lap and playing with the skateboard wheels yet again, watching them spin in a circular motion. It was soothing, it helped her calm down in high-stress situations it seemed.

After she spoke Sylvester had rushed over to the laptop and began typing on the computer. Most likely looking her up to get more information. Luckily he wouldn't find anything she didn't want them to know. The team gathered around him and the computer, they whispered things to each other so Sage couldn't hear. Which she definitely didn't like, but she'd just have to deal with it because she didn't really have a choice at the moment.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out, reading the text from her friend Colby.  
Colby: Where R U?!

She groaned before texting back something quick in response, then pushing her cheap phone back into her back pocket. She couldn't believe she actually forgot about school again. Everyone was still crowded around the computer talking a little bit louder now. She still couldn't entirely make out what they were saying, but she didn't care anymore. She looked to her side and noticed that Cabe had moved from his spot blocking the door. Giving her a clear path for a clean getaway. Reaching down, she picked up her backpack and the skateboard as quietly as she could. She threw the backpack over her shoulder and tiptoed towards the door. Once she got ahold of the knob she threw it open and sprinted away from the garage as fast as her feet would carry her. Or at least as fast as she could go with a limp on her right leg. She could here some distant shouts behind her, but she didn't look back. She just kept on running.

She arrived at Palms Middle School around the time the seventh graders were being released to go to lunch. Rushing into the school and opening her locker to throw her stuff in so she could go eat lunch. Which wasn't usually that good in the first place. She wouldn't be surprised if the food was made from pink goo instead of actual ingredients. When she closed her locker a tall blonde boy was standing there looking down at her, with a concerned frown. His eyebrows lowered above his green eyes as he stared at her with an unamused expression. She jumped, then soon relaxed and released her breath after realizing who it was.

"Colby, don't scare me like that" she huffed, leaning her shoulder momentarily in the side of her locker.

"Well you shouldn't scare me either. I had no clue where you were" he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. He grabbed either side of her face, and jerked her head forward to get a look at a cut above her eye then squinted in annoyance.

"What the heck were you doing?" He interrogated glancing down at her torn jeans, and at the way she was favoring her right leg.

"Nothing, I'm fine." It was a boldfaced lie, and she wasn't at all ashamed, but he wasn't at all fooled either.

"I know you're lying Reeves" he said, narrowing his eyes at her. She rolled her eyes and shoved the skateboard from earlier into his chest and grinned. Disregarding their previous conversation.

"While I was out, I found the jerk who stole your board, and I may have stolen it back for you" she said smugly.

Colby chuckled under his breath and opened the locker next to hers and placed it in, along with his other books and papers.

"You are going to explain everything over lunch" he said, looking over at her from the corner of his eye as they walked together towards the lunchroom.

***Back at the Garage***

"How the heck can she run that fast?" Happy gasps, practically crawling back into the garage with her hands on her knees, and her lungs struggling to find the right amount of air.

Toby helped her to the couch and gave her a glass of water, which she quickly gulps down and throws her head backwards against the couch. Sinking down into the cushioning fabric.

"That running probably did nothing good for her ankle. I thought she'd be more careful with it, after what happened, but nooo, she had to go off and be reckless" Toby ranted, as he grabbed Happy's empty glass to refill. Everyone turned to give him a weird look, he was making a much bigger deal about the insignificant detail. They should really be worried about the fact that their key to solving the case just ran off to who knows where.

"We need to find her, she may know where Caleb is" Walter says, running down the stairs, laptop balancing on his arm.

"I'm sorry, would you like to run after a 12 year old girl for miles in 100 degree weather?" Happy snapped at him, taking another gulp of water, once it was returned to her.

Walter glanced at her before turning back to his computer and typing furiously on the keyboard.

"Come on Doc, do your stuff" Cabe yelled, pulling Toby towards Walter with a forceful hand around his collar.

"Okay, okay, geez" he said, taking off his hat and running his hands through his hair to help him think.

"So before she took off, she was texting someone. Probably, a friend, parent, anyone she's close to. Most likely not a parent, her records are all fake, and as far as we know, she has no family to speak of. She was uneasy while she was here and while she was the center of attention. So she would prefer to be somewhere public, where everybody pays little to no mind to her. Also where she's safe and nobody would try to hurt her without making a scene. Or even a place that's secluded, and she's by herself, which is highly unlikely. She goes to Palms Middle School I could tell because of what she had in her backpack, a few things spilled out when she knocked into me." He says, rubbing at the scruff on his chin.

"Anyways, when she got the text, she didn't show any signs of fear or worry, more like regret, like she forgot something, or forgot to do something. Plus school is in session, so I am guessing she is at school, and a friend had texted her, when she remembered she was supposed to be there" Toby finished, placing his hat back on his head, with a smirk, as he watched over Walter's shoulder.

"Great, so we can just hack in to the school system, and check to see if she's marked present in any of her classes". Walter says, after Toby finished his simple analysis.

***20 minutes later***

"Yes!, she is at school, attending sixth period" Sylvester shouts, after he finds Sage.

"We need to go pick her up" Cabe announces, moving towards the door. Everyone but Toby following, and gathering their things to go.

"We can't all go" he says, stopping them all in their tracks.

"Why not?" Paige asks, putting her purse back down on her desk and placing her hands on her hips.

"Well for starters we don't want to draw any attention to ourselves, or to her. Two: her parents are fake, so no one has ever met them before. So it would be suspicious if all of a sudden her whole family showed up for a family reunion.  
And three: if she saw all of us, it would pose as more of a threat, giving her the feeling to run off again" Toby said, with a shrug of his shoulders, like it was obvious, "she doesn't know us that well yet, so it's not really a great idea if we want her to come with us without forcing her."

"He's right" Walter admits, moving back to his desk, to drop off his things.

"Alright I'll go" Cabe says, moving to the door again.

"No, you couldn't pass as her father, no offense, but your old" Sylvester quipped.

"Why would I need to be her dad?" Cabe asks, "I can be her grandpa taking her to the park or something." Then Paige decided to speak up.

"Mostly Because they'll only release the kids from their school if you're a parent, or you have permission from a parent. Ralph is going there next year" Paige says, "I asked a lot about the pickup situations"

"Well who's going to go?" Cabe asks, looking around at the group of geniuses.

"Toby will" Walter states, which Toby in return gives him a look of surprise.

"Why me? Why not Paige?" Toby asks, gesturing his hand over at Paige already standing by the door.

"She trusts you, and judging by what you did today, you are capable of protecting her if the need arises," Walter says, becoming a bit frustrated with him.

"Also the teachers already know me as Ralph's mom, so if I posed as Sage's they would get suspicious" Paige added, agreeing with Walter.

Toby groaned and grumbled, much like a child that couldn't get their favorite toy at the store, walking to his desk to grab his keys, and picking his comm up from Sylvester as he passes, before heading out to his old Monte Carlo. Happy stopped him at the door, handing him a fake ID, then sneaking in a quick kiss when no one was looking.

"Good luck"

"We don't believe in luck." Toby says, grinning down at her

Happy smirked right back at him, "I know" then she spun on her heel and headed back to her desk. When he stopped staring at her, he took a look at his newly made fake ID. The name on the card was Daniel Reeves, on there was a picture of Toby right beside the name.

"Daniel! Seriously! She couldn't have come with a better name for her father." Toby grumbled, looking at the name, and throwing open the door in frustration.


	4. Let's Roleplay

Toby drove to Palms Middle School with the radio blaring full blast as he sang to an old rock song, theatrically. He took his precious time getting there, as the team worked to pull more information on Sage and how she knew and found out about Caleb and all his illegal business plans.

"This is ridiculous," Sylvester sighs, "her records come to a complete dead end. There is history about her before her fifth birthday besides her birth certificate, which doesn't look all that real either, it's like she never even existed. For all we know Toby, Sage could be working for Caleb, I don't like this." he mutters over the comms.

"Cool it Sly," Toby answers, "I read her, there's nothing we need to worry about. She's just a kid with an… odd lifestyle." It doesn't seem to calm anyones nerves, but they keep quiet anyway as they continue to search.

He pulled into the guest parking area and turned off the car. Placing his hat on his head, then pushing his keys and phone into his pocket before exiting.

"Toby, at least try to be polite, we don't need anymore added trouble today" Paige lectured, over the comms.

"I got this Paige, chill" he says.

"Don't say chill," Happy commented, "you're supposed to be a lame dad."

"I am not lame, "he insisted, "and for your information, I would be an awesome dad" he grumbled. He pulled open the glass door to the school's front office and walked in, right up to the front desk, laying his hat on the counter then silently looking around the plain office.

The old lady behind the desk stared emotionlessly at the computer in front of her, with a mug of coffee at her lips. Toby cleared his throat to get her attention, which kind of worked.

"What do you want?" She snapped, while continuing her blank stare at the monitor. Moving the mouse very slowly around the tabletop.

"Uh, I'm here to pick up Sage Reeves for a doctor's appointment" he answered casually, leaning his elbows up against the counter and playing with one of the pens lying next to a clipboard.

At the mention of Sage's name, the woman behind the desk smiled and stood up to face him properly, her whole demeanor changing instantly.

"You're her father?" She asked, with a proud grin.

Toby nodded.

"Well you have raised an absolutely wonderful girl!" She exclaims, gathering papers and placing them neatly in front of him. He handed her the fake ID Happy had cooked up and began to fill out the papers with his messy 'Doctor Handwriting' as Happy called it.

It only took a few seconds, only asking for names and dates, along with a few phone numbers and personal information. Sylvester was there over the comms to help fill in the right information when he needed. The woman handed back the ID and used the computer to email Sage's teacher, to tell her to walk her up to the office for checkout. Toby could hear the team discussing the case as he sat down in a chair next to the door, waiting for his "daughter" to come out, so they could head back to the garage.

***With Sage***

Sage was in Biology class, listening to the teacher talk on and on about genetics and animals, and how diversity in gene frequencies can refer to differences between individuals and why genetic variation being formed through mutations and sexual reproduction is so important to society and the environment. Those were all things she was already pretty familiar with. Honestly, she had no desire in knowing and learning about it again, reading books multiple books about it is enough for her.

She was more interested with things that actually messed with your head and gave you a headache just trying to fathom what it might mean or how it might work. Just the one or many thoughts could occupy her busy mind for days, she already knew all the other boring stuff. It caused her frequent daydreams during class. She never could pay attention, her mind always wandered during these boring lectures.

Colby poked her in the side from the seat beside her. She glared at him then refocused on what the teacher was saying so she wouldn't get in trouble, or at least pretend she was listening.

After a few more minutes full of boring sentences explaining the process of Meiosis, the teacher was interrupted by an email received on her computer. She rushed behind her desk to check it and looked up at Sage, and it gave her a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Sage your dad is here to pick you up." She said, walking back to the front of the classroom to continue on with the lesson.

"M-my dad?" she stuttered.

Her teacher nodded, and Sage began to packing up the paper and pens she had out on her desk. She was about ready to leave, then Colby decided to speak up.

"Ms. Lewis can I go with Sage, she needs to get something from my locker before she leaves" he fibs, shooting her a quick glance.

Their teacher nods and they both exit the class in a hurry. They get a fair ways down the hall before Colby starts nosing in.

"I thought you didn't have parents" he said, as they passed the rows upon rows of lockers and classrooms.

"I don't" she stated bluntly. Staring straight ahead as she angrily marched down the hallway

"Gosh Sage, why so complicated? Do you think it was the guys chasing you?" He asks, quickening his pace to match hers.

"Na! Those guys were as dumb as a bucket of nails. There's a better chance of it being that idiot who saved me today. They probably need to talk to me still. I will admit that I did not expect them to be able to track me all the way back here. They're pretty good" she said, rounding the corner to go to her locker and grab her things. When they both arrived at the office they could see Toby snoozing in the chair with his hat covering his face. Sage froze, and Colby squeezed her arm in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's him" she says, walking around the counter and into the waiting area. The lady behind the desk sees her and yells at Toby to wake him up.

"Mr. Reeves, your daughter is here!"

Toby jumps up from his chair letting out a surprised yelp as he goes, and his hat to fall to the ground in the process. He grumbles as he bends down to pick it up and place it back on his head again before walking up to Sage with his hands in his pocket.

"He's the guy that helped you this morning?" Colby murmured from beside her, raising his eyebrows. The simplest way to explain his feelings towards the situation was confusion, and that was putting it lightly.

She sighed in frustration then nodded. She cleared her throat and walked up to Toby.

"Hey dad, this is my friend Colby" she said through gritted teeth.

"Nice to meet you sir" Colby says, putting out his hand to shake.

Toby eyes him suspiciously then shakes his hand. He hears Cabe over the comms, telling him to bring the boy to interrogate him too. Like always though, he had a different idea in mind. He needed to gain the boys trust, and the best way to do that was to show how much he trusted him. He grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a folded business card with his personal number on it. There was no name so it was semi safe to give out.

"After school, call your parents and tell them you're going to your friends house. Then call me and I'll pick you up. I have a few questions for ya." Toby says, dropping his hand as Colby opens the paper, seeing the number printed on the inside.

"No you don't need to, he's no-" Sage started with wide eyes, before being interrupted by Colby.

"It's alright Sage," he says, "I'll call my parents after school and meet with you sir" Colby says, turning to face Toby before leaving the office to go back to class.

"Alright, come on" Toby says, gesturing for her to follow him outside to his car.

He takes her backpack for her and puts it in the backseat of his car, while she climbed in the passenger side. She crossed her arms across her chest while she waits for him to get in the car.

"Where's your skateboard?" He asks, as he walks around the front of the car and climbs into the driver's side. Putting the key in the ignition and attempting to start the car. All it does is make a pitiful 'whirring' noise.

"It wasn't mine. It was Colby's" she says, looking around the messy vehicle and grimacing.

"I see" he says, as he tries a second time to turn on the car. He's answered with a few noises that it probably shouldn't be making. When the engine finally starts up he lets out a sigh of relief.

"Man, I need to get Happy to fix this thing." Toby mutters, backing out of the parking space.

"Or you can just get a nicer car" Happy retaliates.

"Yeah, like I can afford that" Toby jokes, turning onto one of the main highways.

"Who are you talking to?" Sage asks, turning the radio volume down to bearable and raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm on comms with the team" He answers, tapping on the device in his ear then turning the radio completely off, and propping his arm up out the window.

"Wow, you guys are a lot more sophisticated and high tech than I thought" she chuckles.

The rest of the ride is a comfortable silence. Sage is enjoying the wind blowing in her face as they roll down the highway to the garage. Toby is listening to the team once again talk about the case and every once in awhile giving his input. They arrived at the garage, and Toby throwed the car into park and pulled out his key. He got out and popped the hood, waving off the steam and smoke that had accumulated during the tough drive, as he raised it over his head and popping up the support. Sage followed him, looking down into the car engine after the smoke cleared.

"Your engine is overheating because of the stuck thermostat" she says, pointing to the problem.

"That makes sense" Toby says, pulling off his jacket, to keep it from getting anymore dirty.

He feels under the engine, for one of the pipes. "Yep, you're right" he says, pulling his hand back out and looking back down at it again.

"How did Happy fix it last time" he mutters to himself.

"Ugh, idiot. Pull the radiator cap out" Happy says over the comms, a little irritably.

"Well why don't you come out here and do it, you're the mechanic" Toby says, peering down at the car in annoyance

"I want to see if you can do it" Happy laughs. Toby could almost see the smirk on her face as she said that.

"Fine, but if I break my car, or hurt myself. You're paying the bills" he grumbles.

He's about to start on the car, but Walter calls him into the garage.


	5. Cat's Out of the Bag Now

Before Toby can even start on the car, Walter called him into the garage. He picks up his jacket and throws it over his arm, then opening the door to the garage for Sage and himself. She walks in and sits back down on the couch, with a small pout, crossing her arms over her chest and pulling her legs up so they are crossed beneath her.

Toby throws his hat like a frisbee in the direction of his desk and it lands perfectly while still messing up stacks of papers strewn across his messy desk that Paige had been prodding him to organize for the past several days. He pulled the jacket on over his shoulders and walked to the computer the team was gathered around. He pointed out a few miniscule things, and the rest of them discussed different scenarios and plans to catch Caleb in the act, because they didn't have much reliable proof.

"Why don't we just ask Sage," Paige speaks up. Getting annoyed with the geniuses ridiculous debates.

"Uh, good idea" Walter says, nodding his head in agreement.

"Toby" he says, glancing over at him then turning back to look at the computer screen. Toby sighs and stands up, throwing his hands in his pockets as he makes his way across the garage to sit down on the coffee table facing Sage.

"Your name is Sage," he states, wasting no time to get to the point and hurry things along, "who are your parents?" He asks, picking up her backpack she had put on the ground by her feet.

"Dan and Amber Reeves" she says, tightening her arms around herself.

"Yes, but who are your real ones?" He asks, pulling out a black sketchbook from the backpack and turning it over in his hands several times to examine it before opening it up to a random page.

"They are my real parents" she insists, reverting her gaze to her lap.

"Okay, what about your grandparents?" He asks, deciding to play along for a little while to see how long she could keep up. He continued flipping through pages filled with intricate drawings and detailed sketches. A few of the people and places he recognized from around town, there was even a drawing of the Kovelsky's parking lot.

"Billy and Dorene Moore are my mom's parents, and Deanna and Robert Reeves are my dad's parents." She says, uncurling her arms from around herself and occupying her fingers by playing with the hem of her jacket resting in her lap.

"Did you draw all these?" Toby asks, gesturing to all the pictures throughout the book.

"Yeah, I like to draw a lot of different things, I'm still looking for my own style you know" she says with a smile, "it gives me something to do when I get bored." She finally looks up at him and keeps his gaze for no longer than a second before reverting her attention back to the very interesting string on her flannel.

There are a variety of drawings, portraits, designs, and abstract, it was all in there. There wasn't any color, but everything still looked so realistic that the only way you could tell it was not a photograph was loose sketches from a cheap pencil that had never been fully erased.

"How long does it usually take to do one picture?" he asks, looking up at her as he puts the book back neatly in her bag.

"It depends on the drawing, some are just quick outlines and measurements and others are a developing idea that could take me weeks to perfect it to the way I'd like." She says, shrugging her shoulders with the slightest hint of a smile on her face.

Toby nods his head and goes back to looking through the bag. He pulls out a stained white binder next and Sage's eyes go wide in fear. She's quick to snatch it away before he can open it up, holding it tightly against her chest.

Toby studies her reaction before he asks his next question. "What's in there?"

"Just some ideas," she replies curtly, "Things I wouldn't like to be shared" she says, gripping the binder the slightest bit tighter.

"Ok I was going to take this slow, but you're hiding to many things. Either you tell me all you know about Caleb, or you give me that binder" Toby commands, holding his open palm out towards her for the binder.

"Toby" Paige warns, from behind him. Giving him one of those looks that meant 'cool it'.

He watches patiently as Sage rules out either option in her head, debating on which course she should take. She takes the binder and reluctantly places it in Toby's waiting hand. Toby smiles gratefully at her and opens the binder. It was not what he was expecting to say the least. There were pages of words, numbers, equations and pictures, all theories of random and advanced math solutions that he could somewhat understand.

"Hey Sly, come over here" Toby calls, running his fingertips along the complex page of math equations and theories.

Sylvester runs over to him, peering over his shoulder at the binder.

"I think there is some type of message in here" Toby tells him, pointing to colored numbers and letters. Sage's eyes go wide again and she looks up at Sylvester. He took the binder out of Toby's hands and began flipping through the pages.

"All the blue letters and numbers are either 1,2,A, or B. I think it's the binary code she's using." Toby says, looking over at Sage with an impressed smirk and Sylvester nods his head in agreement.

"These are all names of people the government has caught from anonymous tips, some of them still haven't been caught yet" Sylvester says, looking up at Sage this time.

"Kid, you need to tell us what's going on right now" Cabe says, taking a step towards her from where he was quietly listening to the conversation. Things were getting much more serious and it was about time he stepped in.

Paige pushes everyone back and sits down next to Sage on the couch, wrapping her up in her arms in an attempt to comfort her to try. When Paige hugs her, she feels Sage's muscles tense up, just like Ralph and Walter do when she hugs them, or any of the geniuses for that matter. She pulls away and looks from her to the binder now on the coffee table, and states what everybody else in the room was already thinking.

"You're a genius too".


	6. Code of Life

"Obviously Paige" Toby says, rolling his eyes and taking the binder away from Sylvester and pulling the it back into his lap, flipping through the pages again.

Paige rolls her eyes and releases Sage from her hug, but she stays seated next to her while Toby scans the pages and Sylvester reads over his shoulder.

"Walter, look at this" Sylvester calls to the busy man behind him.

"What information is there on Caleb? He is our main priority at the moment" he says, ignoring Sylvester's call.

Sylvester sighs in disappointment before forcefully taking the notebook from a reluctant Toby and spouting off the facts he finds hidden between the words. It takes time to decipher all the needed information because they were so well hidden, but with Sylvester's genius mind he was able to find every code. While Walter, Sylvester, and Happy were busy with Caleb, Toby, Cabe, Paige busied themselves with finding out more about Sage.

"So you like math." Toby states the obvious, nodding his head and attempting to maintain eye contact.

He watches as her face lights up and a large grin spreads across her face. For a moment she doesn't look nervous or stressed, she looks like she's an excited nine year old eager to talk, and it's the same face Sylvester, Ralph, or even he makes when someone takes an interest in what they like or what they are working on.

"Yeah, math is sort of my safe haven," she starts, "I mean…it's basically everything. Numbers alone is what keep our society from failing and it keeps us humans at the top of the food chain. I just find it amazing with how perfectly everything works together. The systematic treatment between the figures and forms, and relations between quantities expressed so symbolically throughout nature is just… I just find it beautiful," she says, with an innocent smile. When she looks up to see everyone staring, her cheeks turn bright pink and she drops her head to look down at her lap.

"Sorry! I um...just went on an unneeded little tangent there. I'm sure everyone here knows what math is."

Paige stares at her in 'aw'. Of course she has heard so many rants and raves about math, science, machines and anatomy over the past few years that she should be used to it. She can't even count the number of times the geniuses were speaking in such a foreign language to her that she simply just nodded and smiled, pretending she completely understood what they were talking about. She had just never seen such emotion during one of those rants, the way Sage had expressed herself without even having to try to connect the logic to the emotion just astounded her. It took her years to get any of the geniuses to come even close to having an understanding in that way, and apparently she wasn't the only surprised one, because even Walter had paused his work to send a curious glance in their direction.

"That's the most emotion I've ever seen from any of these emotionally stunted geniuses" Cabe says, barking out an amused laugh.

"In our defense, we didn't have very good teachers when it came the feelings stuff" Sylvester grumbled.

"Also, I had to learn quickly how to express myself in a normal way. Teachers aren't particularly fond of smart mouths" Sage adds in a rush.

"Anyway, back to the main subject," Cabe says, waving off any previous conversation, "what's with all these pages of codes, and how the heck did you get ahold of this information?"

Sage bows her head again, and rocks back and forth while tapping the tips of her fingers together. She's not sure as to whether or not she should tell them the whole story yet. Logic was yelling 'no' like a mantra, but her emotions were telling her that she could trust them. Sadly though, emotions had got her into a lot of trouble in the past, so she's just going to play it safe.

"Usually once I get a new idea, or something, I'll write it down in the book, and add a coded message to it. I've never met another genius, so I was never really worried about someone figuring it out, and I thought it was the safest and best way to store that information. As for how I got ahold of that information, um well...I can't exactly say."

"Well you've gotta say!" Cabe yells, "some of this information can lead to chaos or even the destruction of our country, not to mention the danger you would be put in." He says, narrowing his eyes. Sage's eyes narrow too and her whole demeanor changes in an instant as she slowly stands from her seat on the couch.

"I do not feel comfortable with revealing that information" she says calmly, never breaking her eye contact with Cabe. After a couple long minutes, Toby interrupts with a loud clap of his hands and faux smile. He gently pushes Sage back down so she's sitting on the couch.

"Cabe," he says, turning his head to give him a pointed look, "I know that you're all about protocol and everything, but maybe we can work something out. Let's finish up this case and then we can figure out what we're gonna do. Besides, Sage's friend should be calling any minute now, maybe he can give us a bit more insight." Cabe and Sage both grunt in irritation.

His phone starts blaring and his annoying ringtone echoes throughout the garage. He digs in his pocket to retrieve his phone with a smug grin.

"Wow, I'm good" he says before hitting the little green button to answer the call. He puts it on speaker so the rest of the team can hear the conversation if they would like.

"Hello?" he asks into the phone, even though he was almost 100% sure it was Colby.

"Hey it's Colby, Sage's friend" he says. The sound of cars honking and racing down the road could be heard in the background.

"Yeah I know who you are," Toby says, "Where do you want me to pick you up at?"

"Could you actually ask Sage to give me directions" he asks.

Before Toby can respond and tell him he can just give the directions, Sage is beside him, listing off what seemed to be random numbers.

"23,1,254,2,363,2,13,1,54" she says, nodding her head and counting on her fingers as she listed each one off one at a time. Colby murmurs the numbers to himself through the phone, to help him memorize the directions.

"Alright got it. See you in a few, stay safe" he says before hanging up.

"What the heck was that" Toby asks, looking over at her with a raised eyebrow.

"It's another little code we made up a while back, just in case I get into any trouble. He would come and help me. So now it's kind of a habit and that's all we use now, and it also helps me communicate with him how much danger I'm in and how urgent the matter is" she said, retreating from Toby and going back to the couch to sit down.

"You sure do like codes" Cabe mumbles under his breath, spinning on his heel to refill his coffee.

"This Colby…," Paige says, "is he a genius too?" she asks. Sage laughs and shakes her head.

"No, he's really smart though, and he's had lots of practice with numbers from the amount of time he has to deal with me."

The conversation is interrupted by Sylvester and his laptop. He rushes over to them, computer in one hand, and the other making wild illustrative gestures as he explained what he had just came across.

"Caleb Smith, has not only been smuggling government secrets, but illegal weapons as well. He has his own factory making them 24/7," he pauses to catch his breath, "but there was a small leak from one of his employees a while back, hinting on where the factory is. It says-" he turns the computer around for the rest to get a look at what he is pointing to.

"'-I love working for Caleb, he's one of the best employers I've ever had. He does amazing work. My favorite business of his to work for was his endangered animals charity. He had factories in Illinois making special homes and habitats for them. He is by far one of the most generous men I have ever met'," Sylvester stops reading and a grin spreads across his face before he turns the computer back towards him. "Guess what! Those factories have been 'shut down' for years" Sylvester says.

"A satellite image says otherwise though," Happy says, "There was a video of one of Smith's employees entering the factory. Watch" she instructed, taking the computer away from Sly and clicking to another tab on the laptop and opening it to play the video.

There was an old factory that appeared to be shut down. But there were signs of manufacturing going on. Smoke, men and old jeeps parked outside. Then a man walks to the front of the building, and Happy zooms in on the man as close as she can, and it's none other than Caleb himself. They can tell by the bright red hair that sat atop his head and ridiculously expensive suit he wore. He was talking to another man who was also wearing a ridiculously expensive suit.

"Okay, but how do we know that's the factory" Cabe asks, "and what about the government secrets?"

"One, it's in the middle of nowhere, perfect for a factory making illegal weapons, no one around to be suspicious of it. Two, why would a rich guy work so hard to hide that the factory is working, especially when that particular company got him more publicity than any other one he owns." Toby says, looking over at Cabe then turning back to look at the computer screen. "As for the leaking government secrets… there is not much we can do about it besides cutting off the source which is Caleb."

"Also" Sylvester says, zooming in on the side of the building near the trucks. Men were loading the trucks with a variety of guns and explosives. Hiding them all in various secret compartments throughout the vehicle.

"That" he says, making his own valid point.

"You should find Caleb at the factory. He's had an appointment with one of his main employees that will last several days. So I advise catching him quickly to avoid any more mishaps," Walter says.

"Ok, well this one was easy. I'll call Cooper and send some agents over to put an end to all of this," Cabe says, pulling out his phone to call Cooper. Walking around to the back of the garage to hold the conversation.

"Wow, that never happens" Paige says, surprised by the fact that they didn't have to risk their lives on the case multiple times and did not involve any surprise twists towards the end.

"Yeah, we deserve 'easy' every once and awhile" Toby says, collapsing onto the couch next to Sage and kicking his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.

"Whenever we say that, or suspect that it's over, we always have to do something more dangerous. So let's not say that," Sylvester says, placing his laptop onto Walters desk. He didn't close any of the tabs, just in case.

"Getting superstitious on us, huh Sly?" Toby asks with a chuckle, leaning back onto the couch and closing his eyes for a moments peace. Which is then interrupted by Happy's amused tone.

"You still need to fix your car" she says with a smirk. Toby groans and throws her a sideways glance.

"Aw, do I have to?" He whines, shooting her the best puppy dog eyes he could muster.

"You know, I was going to offer to help, but if you keep making that face forget it" Happy says, raising her eyebrows for a warning. Toby's puppy dog eyes disappear instantly and he stands up from his seat on the couch and walks to the front door of the garage, leading to where he parked his car earlier.

"Please" he says, stopping halfway out the door and shooting Happy a desperate look. Happy smirks, shaking her head in amusement and walks to the door to help Toby with his car.

***Outside***

Toby's outside waiting eagerly for Happy to come and meet up with him. As soon as she's outside and he can hear the latch of the door lock back into place, he grabs her arm and pulls her forcefully towards him. He smiles down at her as he backs her up into the brick wall slowly, wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her as close to him as possible. She grins up at him, because she knows exactly what he's doing. He leans down close to her lips, barely grazing them as he aims for the exposed part of her neck. The way his lips barely touch her skin, and the way he purposefully runs his scruff down her neck, all of it makes her shiver and her toes curl. He pulls away and looks down at her, because the smug bastard knows exactly what he was doing to her.

"You gonna kiss me or what?" she breaths. He chuckles and leans down to press his lips securely around her own. He kisses her slow and gentle at first, enjoying the way their lips moved in tandem perfectly the way they always did. Happy responds gratefully by running one of her hands through his curly hair and moaning desperately into his mouth.

This only encourages him more as he smiles against her lips and presses her flush against the brick wall behind her, moving farther forwards into her body, leaving her trapped between himself and the wall. He cups her face as he presses his lips more insistently onto her own, sliding his tongue into her mouth with a simple lick around her lips.

After a moment that felt like eternity he breaks the kiss slowly, as if he were scared to let go of her, letting his lips linger as long as he could before they were too far apart to be pressed together. He instead kissed her nose and cheeks repeatedly before leaning his head against her shoulder, leaving them both out of breath with large grins on their faces.

"What was that for?" she asks breathlessly, playing with the curls atop his head.

"I didn't get to give you a good morning kiss. You slept at your place last night" he says with a pout, hugging her and placing soft, wet kisses to her neck.

"I gave you a kiss this morning" she laughs, closing her eyes in pleasure, as he continues his exploration along her neck.

"That's right. _You_ gave me a kiss, _I_ didn't get to give you a kiss" he says, pulling away from her, before Walter caught them getting it on just outside the garage and starts scolding them for inappropriate behavior.

She smiles up at him, leaning forward to press one last kiss onto his lips.

Toby heard something that sounded a lot like a skateboard and he turned around to see Colby riding towards the garage on the skateboard Sage was using earlier that morning.

"Well at least I got a kiss before we gotta go back to work" Toby says, winking over at Happy with a smirk She socks him in the gut and smiles at him as he yelps in pain. The two walking or stumbling back into the garage to announce Colby's arrival.


	7. Emoting Explosives

Colby rapped on the metal door with his knuckles, skateboard in one hand and his backpack thrown over his shoulder as he waited for the door to open. Sage answered the door and smiled at him, grabbing his wrist and dragging him inside the garage.

"What took you so long?" she joked with a big huge on her face..

"I just took my time" he replied, smiling down at her. Then focusing his attention at all the others gathered him in the room. They were all looking at him standing beside Sage. He gave an awkward wave after he set his beat up bag at his feet. They gave no response which made him that much more uncomfortable. When nobody gave a response, Sage turned her attention to Cabe and Toby, the ones in charge of the interrogations she wasn't all that fond about.

"You kids ready?" Cabe asks.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Colby responds with a shrug, leaning his skateboard against a nearby desk wo it wouldn't roll away.

Sage and Colby followed Cabe into the back room with Toby trailing along behind them, picking up a cup of coffee along the way. He met with them in the cramped room, coffee in hand as he sat on the chair in the corner of the room as Cabe started the interrogation.

"So, we would like to know from how you two met, to how you find out about these dangerous guys," Cabe says, eyeing the two of them, letting his gaze linger on Sage momentarily while ennunciating the last portion of his sentence.

"Where would you like me to start?" Colby asks leaning back in the chair, with a smirk on his face.

"How about from the beginning" Toby says, taking a sip of the coffee. His face contorts into a disgusted grimace as he glances down into the mug. It was that stupid cinnamon Walter insisted on all the time.

"Blegh" he says, placing the full mug on the corner table in the center room.

"What's wrong with you?" Cabe asks in annoyance, looking over his shoulder at the disgusted shink smacking his lips and tongue to attempt and get the horid taste from his mouth.

"I can't stand that cinnamon Walter puts in that coffee" Toby says, continuing on with his montage of odd faces.

"Continue" he says, Standing up from his seat and moving to stand behind Cabe then gestures for Colby to continue on.

"Well, I met Sage in first grade. She was always very quiet and we were assigned to work on a project together. After that I guess she liked me alright so she told me what he favorite color was, and apparently that was like a big deal to her so afterwards we were sorta best friends" Colby says, before Sage picks up on the conservation after roling her eyes repeatedly.

"He was the only one I trusted at the time because of certain things, and he was my only friend all the way through school. Eventually I told him everything when he found me in a dangerous situation around fourth grade, and he wouldn't leave me alone about it, so I told him so he'd shut up about it," she finished, turning to give Colby a look. Colby nodded his agreement and laughed.

"Ever since then I helped her in any way I could I guess you could say. I never told anyone about her though, she wanted to keep it a secret, and I respected that."

"Okay, so how did you two start finding info on bad men?" Toby asks.

"I started around two years ago, but I never let Colby help me in finding the info. I didn't want him getting in trouble with the governent or anoyone, so I tried my best to keep the two of them seperate, but apparently that didn't work out as planned," she said, raising her eyebrows. "I never told him about what I was doing either. He never questioned me when I asked for his help, he just did what I needed him to do," Sage says.

"You may have never told me, but I figured out what you were doing after a while" Colby said, turning to give her a pointed look.

"Okay, but How do you find the info?" Toby asks again, resting his chin on his hand.

"I have Intel, and even though computers aren't really my strong suit, I can still do some fancy tricks. I pretty much do lots of research on anyone I think is a little suspicious, and I find things most people would never be able to find. Then I make sure I'm right, before turning the info into the Feds." She says, looking up at Cabe and Toby, "I have a lot of time on my hands."

"Were you involved in the research or scoping around?" Cabe asks, reverting his attention back over to Colby.

Colby shakes his head. "No, I only helped her get out of bad situations when she needed it" he said, looking at his hands in his lap, "which still wasn't often."

Cabe looks over at Toby, and he nods his approval.

"One thing before you go. Why are you two so open about this and you're not trying to deny any of it?" Toby asks, "before we stepped in this room Sage, I had barely heard you talk, what's with the sudden change of attitude?"

"Well, there's no point in denying the facts after you found evidence in my bag, and I pretty much already confessed to you" Sage asks, crossing her arms in front of her chest, avoiding the last part of the question purposefully.

"Alright then, Colby you can go on home, thank you for answering the questions. I'll contact you if we need more information" Cabe says, dismissing him.

Colby stands from his seat and heads to the door, giving Sage a reassuring pat on the shoulder before exiting the room. Sage starts to stand from her seat as well, but Cabe stops her.

"Not you kid, we still have more questions," he says, pushing her gently back into the seat.

"I've already told you everything important," she says, clearly confused as to why they were keeping her still. She had stuff to do, and she wanted out of this mess once and for all.

"Not everything. We need to know about you and your lifestyle, to make sure you aren't being put into any danger," Cabe says, giving her a sympathetic look. Sage plays with her hands and refuses to look him in the eye, reverting back to the Sage before.

"I can't tell you" she says softly, shaking her head with pursed lips.

"And why not?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Because you're a Fed and you'd have no choice but to do to me exactly what I'm trying to avoid" she says, glancing up at the two men in front of her with such a desperate expression they can almost feel her internal struggle. Toby's eyes widen instantly, he was coming to an understanding for her reasons of being so distant with all of them.

"Hey, it's okay. We won't force anything out of you. The only thing we need to know is if you're in any type of danger. You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to yet" he says, trying his best to comfort her.

"No one is putting me in any danger, or keeping me against my will" she answers with a roll of her eyes.

"But we still need to know some things to keep her safe," Cabe tells Toby, narrowing his eyes at the shrink.

"She can tell us when she's ready," he argues, narrowing his eyes in return.

"That defeats the whole purpose. The only way for her to not tell us right now, would be to put her in police custody, that's protocol. Especially when they refuse to give information valuable to the nations security," Cabe snaps right back, nodding his head in her direction.

"We can work something else out" Toby inisits, turning back to face Sage.

"Maybe she can stay with one of us, until she's ready to tell us what's going on. That way she is still protected but not in police custody, since she is uncomfortble with it" Toby says, looking back at Cabe for permission.

"Who would she stay with?" He questions, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's up to her" Toby says, looking back over at Sage.

"Would that work for you?" he asked.

She nodded her head in agreement, then stood up and gave him a tight hug, sniffling just a little bit before exiting the room in a rush. They could both tell she was keeping some really heavy stuff to herself.

"Why were you defending her like that, we needed that information and you know it," Cabe scolded after Sage had exited the room.

"Cabe, she's a genius, which means an abnormally low EQ. Her situation is emotional, and that makes it harder on geniuses, because when an emotional challenge comes up they ignore it, pressing it down further and further, and eventually that all builds up into one huge pile of explosives. If you don't know how to handle the situation it could worsen and blow up in her face. Then she would never tell us anything, even if she does trust us" Toby reasons with him.

"Her situation doesn't seem emotional" Cabe says, cocking his head to the side.

"It's not her situation, it's how she got there. We don't know anything about her past, it could be really tragic. And talking about that subject will only bring back unwanted memories that could add to the pile," Toby says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Cabe asks, placing a hand on his shoulder when he recognizes the expression on Toby's face, and Toby shrugs it off. 

"Remember what I said about geniuses and emotional situations" he sneers, before walking out of the cramped room.


	8. What's a Home to You

When Sage exits the interrogation room a little after Colby left, she seemed mildly distressed over something that had occurred. She avoided eye contact with anyone in the room, and she say a word. She just walked with a bowed head and pursed lips. The rest of the team turned towards her as she rushed over to her backpack lying neatly atop the coffee table, rummaging through it and pulling out random things she had stuffed in there earlier then setting them aside to find what she is really searching for.

Toby exits next, followed by Cabe. Toby seemed somewhat off too, but not as severe as Sage was. He was rubbing the back of his neck while he rolled his neck out, a nervous tick Happy picked up on instantly. She rushed up to him with a frown.

"What happened in there?" she whispered, leaning closer into him so no one could overhear.

"I'll tell you later" he says, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back and leading her back towards the team.

He sees Sage's back turned to him as she rummages through her bag and he knows she was having a rough time with the whole situation and he felt bad for her. She had pulled out her sketchbook then she set it on the table before continuing her frantic search, looking for something else. When she found what she was looking for she sped towards Toby, hiding her face from everyone else behind her curtain of long blonde hair.

"Is there somewhere I can draw? By myself" she asks so quietly that Toby has to bend down to hear her clearly.

"Uh, yeah, over here," he says, pointing out the other side of the garage and leading her towards his desk. He clears all the paper stacks, along with the hat Sage had saw him wearing earlier, so she could sit with her book and give her a little time to herself while she let all the new information sink in.

"Here. Take as much time as you need," he said, pulling the chair out for her and patting her head once in comfort before walking back towards the team.

"So what's the story?" Paige asks, moving to stand beside Toby.

"She's been through so much, and we can't help because she won't tell us anything," he says, discussing all that had they had learned about her in the room. Everything from when and how Colby and Sage met, to the arrangement they had agreed to later on, with Sage picking one of the team members to stay with temporarily, opposed to staying in police custody.

"She'll probably pick Toby" Sylvester observes, nodding his head and turning to look over at Sage concentrating on the picture she was working with at Toby's desk.

"Would you mind if she did stay with us Hap?" Toby asks, looking over at Happy for her approval. Happy nodded and shrugged her shoulders, giving off a barely visible smile.

"I like the kid, she seems well-behaved. Reminds me of Ralph" she answers.

Toby smiled a bit then looked behind him at Sage sitting comfortably at his desk running the dull pencil repeatedly across the white paper. She was different from almost every kid he had met, and not because she was a genius either. He agreed with Happy, he definitely liked the kid.

***Two hours later***

Cabe approaches Sage who was still drawing at Toby's desk. He looked over her shoulder to see what she was drawing out of curiosity. It was a sketch of the team relaxing and talking on the couch with wide smiles on their faces like they had been for the past couple hours. Toby was sitting in the middle of the couch with a beer in hand and an arm thrown over the back of the couch right above Happy's head, who was enjoying her own drink, both with amused smiles. Paige was sitting on Toby's other side, laughing hysterically at something as she gripped the arm of the couch. Sylvester's back was turned as he sat in the new chair the team had wisely invested in not too long ago. Cabe was standing off to the side with a happy gin on his face, and Walter had pulled up a chair, straddling it and letting his arms rest on the back rest as he laughed along with the others. Of course it wasn't perfect, but every detail could be seen even with the loose sketches and black and white coloring.

Sage maneuvered her arm so he couldn't view the drawing anymore, and he took a step away to respect her personal boundaries.

"That's really good by the way," he notes, but she doesn't respond so he just shrugs and gets to the point. "Have you decided yet?" He asks her, and she looks up at him for a brief second before returning her attention back to the paper.

"Yes," is the only response she gives.

Cabe sighs, he should be used to this type of attitude by now. Almost every genius in the garage gives the same type of answers, even Ralph. Short and to the point, with no bother to elaborate unless it was strictly necessary. Except for Toby, he couldn't give a discrete answer even if he wanted to.

"Okay then, you just might want to inform whoever they are before they leave," Cabe says, walking away from the desk and throwing his hands in his pockets.

Walter went up to the loft after the team dispersed from their short celebratory chat from earlier. Probably working on one of his most recent experiments that has prevented him from getting any real sleep. Paige had moved back to her desk doing paperwork for the short and simple case they had finished up that afternoon. Sylvester was going back and forth every few minutes from his desk to the chalkboard. Happy had onto her desk and began tinkering while talking to Toby, who had followed her with a folding chair.

Sage couldn't hear what they were saying from across the garage, but from the way Happy's cheeks flushed bright pink probably meant she didn't want to know what they were talking about. She still needed to talk to Toby though. She hoped that he would take a hint and come to talk to her on his own.

Happy had looked up and saw Sage staring at them, no longer working at her drawing. Hands folded on the desk while her chin rested neatly on top as she watched them with the smallest of smiles. Just like she's seen Ralph do a thousand times. She nudged Toby with her hip to get his attention then nodded towards Sage watching them from his desk and he seemed to get the message pretty quickly. He stood up from the folding chair and made his way over to his desk.

"Hey kid, made up your mind yet?" He asks, leaning against the side of the desk and bracing himself with his hand. She nodded and turned her head so she was looking up at him.

"Do you think I could go home with you and Happy?" she asked nervously, then flickering her gaze away from him and towards anything on the cluttered desk and Toby nods his head quickly.

"Yeah sure thing sweetie, but may I ask how know about me and Happy" he asked, cocking his head to the side. Sage smiled a little as she looked up at him again.

"Same way you know if people are lying. Plus you guys were really obvious."

"Fair enough" he says with his own smirk. "We'll leave in a couple hours. Do you need anything?" he asks, placing a hand on her arm and he's surprised when she doesn't pull away from him.

"Is it possible to get some food, I haven't eaten all day" she asks, chuckling softly.

"Of course," he said with a grin and while he's walking back over to Happy's desk he calls out to Paige.

"Hey Paige, could you make some food for Sage, she's sorta hungry."

Paige looks up from her work and smiles over at Sage as she gets up and heads towards the kitchen. Grateful for any excuse to not sit at that desk a moment longer.

A few minutes later she comes out with a sandwich, chips and a glass of juice. She places them all on the desk, in front of Sage.

"Here you go sweetheart," she says, combing a hand through her tangled blonde hair.

"Thanks Paige" she says, before biting into her sandwich.


	9. New Places to Call Home

"You ready to go kid?" Happy asks, grabbing Toby's hat and jacket from his desk for him then glancing over at Sage laying her head down on the dark wood.

"Yep," she sighed, jumping up from the chair and stretching out her back for a quick second before walking over to the couch to grab her backpack and hoodie that she had discarded not too long ago. She shoved her notebook and dull pencil inside and following Happy out of the garage.

Toby was waiting patiently in the passenger seat of his car as he waited for both Happy and Sage. He looked proudly up at them with a grin as they approached the beat to crap vehicle.

"I fixed it all by myself guys."

Sage eyed the car with an unsure expression and raised her eyebrows.

"I think it may need a bit more work," she purses her lips and nods her head.

Happy laughs so hard she almost missed when she threw Toby's things at him through the window. When she calmed down a bit she climbed into the drivers side and adjusted the seat so she could actually reach the pedals without a big struggle. Sage climbed into the very back, as Happy situated herself in the driver's seat, next to a pouting Toby. ' _He seems to do that a lot'_ Sage thinks as he moved the things Happy threw at him away from his face and laying them down so they rested neatly in his lap. The two of them discussed the day's events with the radio playing softly in the background as they drove to their apartment whlie Sage just stared out the window. There was still a little light shining throught the bunch of evening clouds resting at the horizon, the tinged glow iluminating the side of her face and the few strands of blonde hair that had fallen in her eyes. The street lights were just beginning to flicker on as the sun got closer and closer to dissapearing behind the ocean of massive buildings. She's never seen a _real_ sunset before, but that was definitely on her list of things to do when she got the opportunity to get out of the hell-hole that everyoone reffered to as Los Angeles. She just needed a little time to come up with a suitable escape plan to get her the heck away from this place, because if she didn't Team Scorpion was sure to find her again, and she was going to do everythig in her ability to prevent that from happening.

Not long into the drive she eventually fell asleep from all the commotion she had experienced that day, with her cheek resting against her hand. She wakes up to Toby shaking her shoulder gently, standing over her with a kind smile. She groaned and opened her eyes with an annoyed frown.

"Hey sleepy head, we're here," he says, helping her out of the car, "let's get you all ready for bed."

Happy had taken all their stuff up to the apartment, while Toby took care of waking up the young girl in their backseat. Sage woke herself the rest of the way up and followed Toby to the stairs that led to the place she would be staying for the night, or maybe the next few nights depending on how long it took her to devise a plan to ditch them.

Happy was already inside tidying a few things up that were still strewn around from their morning rush. There were several boxes scattered around the small apartment, along with papers, tools, and books. There really should have been more bookcases with the amount of books stacked in the corners.

"Would you like to shower in the morning or tonight?" Toby asks, locking the front door behind him.

"Uh, tonight if that's okay," she says, covering her mouth with her hand as she yawned.

"Alrighty then."

He leads her to the master bedroom, which was just as messy as the rest of the house, maybe more so with the boxes of clothes strewn about.

"Hey Hap? Do you have any sweatpants that would fit Sage?" he called, digging through the dresser drawer as he searched for anything that might fit her small frame, making an even bigger mess in the process.

"Uhm, yeah, in one of the boxes," she yells from the living room.

"Well that doesn't really help," he yells back, looking through the several boxes in the room, but with no such luck.

"Sorry, we haven't really found a lot of time to unpack Happy's things" Toby apologizes, giving up on the boxes with with an exasperated sigh.

"I can just wear this outfit to bed," she said, pulling at the shirt she was wearing, but Toby shakes his head in disagreement.

"No, we need to wash that so you can wear it to school tomorrow," he says, moving back to the drawer to search a while longer.

Eventually he finds something that would somewhat fit her. An old one of his t-shirts, and a pair of black shorts Happy never wore anymore. He hands them over to her and leads her to the bathroom. He showed her the different shampoos and how to turn on the shower, and how to switch it from hot to cold. She could have probably figured it out on her own, but she appreciated his efforts. He pulled out a towel from the cabinet and placed it on the counter beside the sink.

"Can you think of anything else you might need?" He asks, reaching for the doorknob.

She shook her head. So he exited the room and closed the door behind him, allowing her the privacy to take a shower. He made his way back into the kitchen/living room where Happy was unpacking another box on the counter, determining where the dishes inside should go.

"Hey honey bear," Toby whispers in her ear, as he wraps his arms around her waist from behind. Burying his face into the crevice of her neck and kissing it gently, and ghosting his fingertips along her sides.

"Toby," she whines, "this is exactly why we haven't finished unpacking my things."

Toby grumbles to himself and releases her from his hold, throwing himself onto the couch and watching her as she sits criss cross on the ground in front of another box. He started getting bored, which wasn't a big surprise, and he looked around the small apartment for something interesting to occupy himself. He sees something pink poking out from one of the boxes Happy had brought from her place, lying on the kitchen table. Happy hated the color pink, so he got up to investigate stepping around a concentrated Happy, sitting on the floor. He walks over to the box and pulls out a pink, frilly notebook with the letters 'Diary' written across the front. His eyes widen in surprise and he glances over at Happy.

"Ooh, what do we have here?" He chuckles playfully, turning around to face Happy, while flipping the book open to a random page. Happy looks behind her and sees Toby with the book and a smug smile on his face. Once she realized what it was she stood and rushed toward him in panic.

"Give it to me Toby," she demands, holding out her hand for the journal.

"You know, that wasn't very well hidden, and it was laying in plain sight. Any experienced psychiatrist would say that you either were intentionally placing it out in hopes someone would pick it up, or you're just plain careless. I don't th-" Happy cuts him off with a growl.

"Give it back to me Tobias," she warns, narrowing her eyes at him.

Toby ignored her and he begins reading the contents aloud with a sad impression of of a teenage girl.

"Dear Diary, today som-" he doesn't get very far at all before Happy punches him in the stomach and reaches for the book in his hand.

Even while he was doubled leaned over clutching his stomach, he was able to keep it out of her reach by holding it high above his head. He ran away from her and towards the couch. Waving the book at her like a toy which only aggravated her even more.

"Toby give that to me right now," she yells. He hears the seriousness in her tone, but he can also see the playfulness in her eyes as she desperately reaches for the book.

"What are the magic words?" he says in a sing-songy voice.

"Just give me the stupid book," she yells again as she continues to get more upset, as she chases him back into the kitchen. She grabs him, latching herself around his waist in an attempt to tackle him

But instead, Toby stops and throws the book away from him, while Happy tightens her hold on him. When she sees the new location of the book she jumps away and scrambles towards it. She gets so close, but Toby pulls on her arm, slowing her down and pulling her back, allowing him to grab it first.

The chase begins once again, and only stops when they finally notice Sage standing there. Wet hair, towel in hand, and just completely gawking at them. Two full grown adults wrestling and fighting over a frilly pink book. At the time, Happy had Toby pinned to the ground, holding his hands above his head to immobilize him while straddling his waist. When she looked up and saw Sage, through her messy hair, she grabbed the book from Toby and stands up while Toby just grins like an idiot from the floor.

"Don't let him near any of your personal things," she warns Sage as she walks by, blowing her hair out of her face.

"I wouldn't do that to Sage, I just met her" Toby pouts, rolling onto his stomach so he could pick himself up off the floor while Happy disappears into the bedroom to get ready for her shower.

"So, where do I put my dirty clothes?" Sage asks, nervously as he stretches his back.

"I'll take them down to the laundromat later tonight," he says, taking her clothes and towel then tossing them into a basket by the door. Filled with other dirty clothes belonging to both Happy and Toby. He opens a closet and pulls out several blankets, laying them down on the couch to make a comfortable bed.

"It's only like," he checks his watch, "8:00. So you can watch TV if you want, or just go to sleep, it doesn't matter."

She nods and burrows herself under the blankets before reaching for the remote on the coffee table.

"If Happy comes out, wondering where I am tell her I went to wash our clothes," he says, picking up the basket and heading out the door.

After he's gone, Sage gets comfortable and decides on a crime show that looked kind of interesting and not totally pathetic. She feels warm and safe with the blankets wrapped securely around her shoulder, and the sense of security received from having a place to stay for the night. It had been far too long since she had a stable place to eat and sleep. Usually she would sneak into whatever foster home Colby was in and take advantage of the free showers and air conditioned rooms until she was kicked out by his foster parents.

Her gut was telling her that now was the perfect time to make a run for it, leave and never look back. She's sure Colby would understand her hastened escape, unlike any of the other geniuses she had just met that day. Toby was gone, Happy was in the shower, for all she knew this could be a test of loyalty on the shrink's part, he was smarter than he was often given credit for. If she did get caught then there was the chance of being turned over the the police, which would in turn lead her to being stuck in the lousy foster system she's heard so much about. Yet if it wasn't a trap she could be to the next state before they ever realized she was gone. The only problem was there was no way she was getting herself off this couch, she needed sleep. The events of the past few hours proved that. Maybe a better opportunity will show itself when she's a bit more rested and ready.

She's so tired that she barely noticed that Happy was out of the shower and was watching the show with her, sitting at the foot of the couch. That definitely blew any plan she had for that night. They both relax on the couch until Toby gets back with the laundry and he stumbles into the apartment an hour and a half later, basket in hand.

He sees the two sitting on the couch, watching the TV while half asleep, trying their hardest to stay awake till the case is solved. He sets down the basket by the door and grabs the remote, turning off the TV.

"It's time to go to bed now," he told both of them.

Happy groaned, standing up and using Toby's arm to steady herself so she doesn't fall back onto the couch. Sage just collapses on top of her pillow and falls asleep. Toby fixes her blankets so they're tucked tightly around her shoulders and wishing her a quick 'goodnight' and shutting off all the lights except a lamp in the corner.

Afterwards, he meets Happy in their bedroom. She's already sprawled out across the bed, wearing one of his old t-shirts and boxers she still hadn't returned. He climbs in bed, and maneuvers Happy's body so she isn't taking up every inch of his sleeping space, and so she's pressed up comfortably against his chest.

"Night Hap" he whispers into her ear, kissing the back of her neck.

"Night" she whispered, before falling asleep.

-

At 5:00 Toby was woken up by Sage shaking his shoulder and whispering his name.

"Toby, Toby, wake up. Someone's knocking on the door, and they won't go away. I'm scared it might be those guys from earlier," she whispered.

Toby groaned and rolled over so he could sit up on the bed. He just needed a few seconds to wake himself up a bit, before he can start fully comprehending the situation. In the background the faint sound of pounding reached his ears and he glanced over at Sage while digging the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"It's probably not those jerks. They would have broken in already, but who knows… they might be idiots too," he yawns, stretching his arms. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and glanced behind him to make sure Happy was still sound asleep before he stood up. She was passed out on her pillow with her tangled hair covering half her face.

Sage followed closely behind him as he walked towards the front door, peeking out from behind him temporarily when they passed by the kitchen. The banging became louder and more obnoxious the closer they got. He grabbed the wooden bat Happy insisted keeping by the door and crept up closer to the door, while Sage was pressed up close to his back as she attempted to get a good view of who was on the other side when he swung open the door. It was only Cabe, he wasn't wearing his usual suit, instead he was wearing a plain white t-shirt and sweatpants, looking irritated and exhausted, much like Toby was.

"What the heck are you doing here at 5:00 in the morning in your pajamas?" Toby asks, lowering the bat, and squinting from all the bright hall light streaming into his apartment.

"It's protocol that I check up on Sage every 12 hours. So since I left the garage at 5 yesterday, I had to see her, and make sure she hadn't run off yet this morning," Cabe explained adding on a yawn to the end.

Sage poked her head out from behind Toby after hearing her name. She stepped a couple feet away from the door and towards her makeshift bed when she realized there was nothing to worry about, ready to go back to sleep if she could.

"And now i can go back to sleep," he sighed, turning around to walk back down the hallway and back to his SUV parked outside.

"You take your job way too seriously," Toby called after him, closing the door and locking it back, then putting the bat back where it was. Sage crawled back onto the couch when Toby went into the bedroom to go back to sleep, grumbling about sleep deprivation and the 'stupid government'.

She couldn't fall asleep, there was too much nonsense running through her mind, there was no way she would be able to go back to sleep and wake up on time for school. So she grabbed her backpack then pulled out her sketchbook and started on another drawing. She had already made up her mind last night that she wasn't going to attempt at running away again, it only made sense. So she decided to stay put… for now.

An hour had gone by without her even noticing. She only realized the time when she saw Happy waddle her way into the kitchen in one of Toby's old Harvard shirts, similar to the one she was wearing. Pots and pans could be heard across the teeny apartment, clinking and clattering together as Happy pulled them out of their designated cabinets.

Sage was already sore from being hunched over her book for so long, so she got up and stretched her back before going over to see what Happy was up to so early in the morning. She sat at one of the tall chairs positioned behind the peninsula, facing the main part of the kitchen.

Happy looked up to see Sage watching her and she gave her a small smile before going back to cooking breakfast.

"So what are you cooking?" Sage asked, propping her head up on her hands as she watched Happy open the fridge and rummage around.

"Scrambled eggs and bacon," she answered, pulling out several eggs from the carton in the fridge, and cracking them into a red bowl beside the stove.

"Is that your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?" She asked curiously.

"I like the bacon, and Toby likes the eggs. He claims 'it has just the right amount of protein and fat to start the day off right,'" Happy answers in a mocking tone, "so when I make one I make the other," She finishes, cracking the last of the eggs and mixing the milk and eggs together.

Sage watched as Happy cooked their breakfast with ease as they held a really fun conversation. Sage learned a lot about cars and other machines, while Happy listened to some of Sage's interesting theories she came up with when she was bored. They talked until breakfast was ready and then Happy had to attempt to wake Toby up. He stumbled into the kitchen in record time then took a big sniff and grinned like an idiot.

"Mm, I get my favorite this morning" Toby said, smiling. He pressed a kiss to the side of Happy's head as he passed the kitchen and sat down on the couch as she put the finishing touches to his plate of breakfast. She brought him his plate and sat down next to him, followed by Sage who had a plateful of both bacon and eggs.

The three of them ate in a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their meals. Toby was usually the one who did the talking, but he was too preoccupied with the deliciousness on his plate.

Happy turned on the TV and they watched the news. Every once in awhile Toby would make a comment about one of the arrests or crime that's happened recently, and ranting about how idiotic some people are becoming, and he wasn't entirely wrong.

An hour later, all the plates were stacked on the coffee table and everyone was relaxing on the couch watching a random cartoon Toby seemed to find hilarious. Eventually Happy glanced over at the clock in the kitchen, it was almost 7:30.

"Crap! We're late!" she shouts, jumping off the couch and running to the bedroom.

Toby, startled, looked over at the clock too, then he jumped off the couch in panic. Sage yelled out to him before he disappeared into the bedroom.

"Hey! Where are my clothes?"

"In the hamper," he yelled back, slamming the door behind him and leaving Sage alone in the living room. She found her clothes, and was dressed in under two minutes. Her night clothes neatly folded on the arm of the couch.

A minute later Happy stumbled out of the bedroom, hopping on one foot to put on her last boot, followed closely by Toby. His hat was lopsided on his head, his shoes were untied. And his shirt was halfway unbuttoned as he finished buckling his belt.

"Okay, let's go," he said, grabbing his messenger bag and opening the front door for the two of them.

Sage grabbed her backpack and Happy grabbed her bag and they all sprinted down the stairs to the car. Toby tripped a few times because of his untied shoes, but they were able to make it without any serious injuries. At red lights Toby fixed his shirt and shoes. Happy put on the little bit of makeup she wore everyday. She hated it, but sometimes it was necessary. Sage was brushing her long hair in the backseat in an attempt to tame the wild bird's nest at the top of her head. So when they arrived at the garage in perfect timing, they looked perfectly normal.

"Does that happen everyday?" Sage asked, exiting the car, somewhat out of breath from the excitement that had occured that morning.

"Every once in awhile," Happy says, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

Sage shrugged and shuffled into the garage after her. Everyone was there except Paige and Ralph, they arrived a couple minutes later.

"Hey guys. How did things go last night?" Paige asked as she walked in with Ralph in tow.

"Great," Toby nods, sipping on his coffee at his desk and grinning in her direction.

Sage was sitting on the couch, hunched over the drawing she had started that morning. She looked up when she heard Paige's voice after she entered the garage. She saw Ralph and stood up, walking over to him. Ralph's eyes widened in recognition, then he smiled happily in her direction.

"Well you seem a lot happier than you used to be Ralph," Sage laughs, reaching up to ruffle his hair.

"Ralph? You know Sage?" Paige asked in surprise, glancing between the two. Ralph nodded and smiled up at his mom.

"She was my only friend at school, along with her other friend Colby, they sort of protected me from a lot of the bullies. We were good friends all the way until she had to leave for middle school two years ago," Ralph answered, smiling again at Sage, "even though she is only one year older."

"Wow, it talks now too… a lot," she joked.

Ralph just smiled brighter and gave her a hug, wrapping his arms over her shoulders. Both of them were stiff and awkward during the hug, but they hadn't seen each other in a long time so it was only appropriate. Ralph pulled away first.

"Well this is a different type of irony," Sage mumbled to herself.

"You didn't talk that much either two years ago," Ralph said, "you were always so angry."

"Yep, well lots of things have changed since then. Plus I was just going through some stuff then and I really didn't feel like socializing with anyone," Sage said, rubbing the back of her neck. A nervous tick; she hated it so much.

"What are you doing at the garage?" Ralph questioned, looking around at each of the adults suspiciously before returning his gaze over to her.

"Maybe she can explain on the way to school, because if we don't leave now we are going to be late. Toby do you think you can drop off Ralph? I've got a lot of paperwork to do," Paige asked, looking over at the shrink playing with his hat at his desk.

Toby sighed and stood up, grabbing his jacket and making his way to the door.

"Come on children," Toby called, making both Sage and Ralph laugh.

Sage explained the whole story on the ride to her school. It was closer than Ralph's elementary school. She finished her explanation a couple minutes before they reached her school. When they pulled into the drop off zone, kids swarmed around the car after getting a glance of her in the passenger's seat.

"Well someone's popular," Toby joked, looking around at the group of kids.

"Ha ha, funny," Sage snapped sarcastically, then opening the car door. Ready for the questions that were sure to come flying at her at any moment now.

They all cleared away eventually, leaving Colby standing by Sage. He saw Ralph in the car and smiled over at him.

"Hey bud, what's up?" he asked, leaning over to give him a high five.

"Not much. It's nice to see you Colby," Ralph said, smiling in return.

Sage and Colby were about to walk into the school. Then they heard Toby yell from the car.

"Me or Paige will pick you up after school, no funny business," he yelled, pointing a stern finger in her direction and eyeing her.

She laughed and called back sarcastically, "I wouldn't dream of it".

"Alright, spill," Colby insisted, walking the hallways with Sage.

"Well somebody's nosy," she snapped, playfully


	10. The Thing About Trust

"So Ralph, what did Sage actually do to help you out?" Toby asked Ralph as he slid into the front seat after Sage got out for school.

"There were lots of kids that were not very accepting of a genius, especially one that didn't talk a lot. I just usually ignored them, but I guess one day Sage saw them picking on me and understood why, so she sort of… threatened to shove their heads in a toilet if they didn't quit. Sage was like our size at the time and they were still terrified, it was so funny." Ralph started laughing after remembering the puny first graders shaking in fear. He calmed himself down a little bit before he continued on with his story, "Colby was with her, so he's the one that probably scared them, because he was basically a giant. So everyday when my mom dropped me off at school, Sage and Colby would walk me to and from class, sometimes skipping their own classes to walk me to lunch," Ralph said, intertwining his fingers that were resting in his lap.

"She's a great girl Ralph, a really good friend," Toby said, pulling out into the streets while avoiding the oncoming cars.

"Uncle Toby?" Ralph started, grabbing Toby's attention, "Sage doesn't want to tell you anything because she's scared, just like those first graders. Not only because she doesn't trust you, but because you are the person she trusts the most, besides Colby of course. She doesn't want to tell you something that might risk her losing someone she trusts. I don't know exactly what she's hiding, but if she is the same person I knew two years ago, then whatever she doesn't want to share... it's probably serious," Ralph says, looking over at Toby to catch his reaction.

"What do you mean?" Toby asks, looking at him a second, before turning his attention back to the road.

"She's afraid that if she tells you the truth and gives you what she thinks you want, then you'll just dump her somewhere and not care about her anymore since you already got what you wanted from her. She's afraid that your acting, and she doesn't want to find out if she's right. She'd rather run away than let someone let her down again," Ralph explains.

"How do you know all this?" Toby asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Colby told me. I was wondering why she was acting cold and mean sometimes or why she would always leave when I asked her certain questions when I was younger. So I asked Colby what I did wrong and he explained to me that she cared about me and didn't want to loose me. Eventually though, she stopped being so secretive and calmed down a bit. So I think it goes the same for you and the rest of the team," Ralph says.

"I think I understand where you're coming from, but we both know that we won't do that to her, how can we get her to see that?" Toby asks to himself, along with Ralph since he was also in the car.

"We could just give her time. Eventually she started to trust that I was going to stick around, not like I could go anywhere, but still," Ralph said, shrugging his shoulders.

"So how long do you think it will take?" Toby asks.

"I'd say, no more than two weeks," Ralph says with a shrug of his shoulders like it was nothing.

"Two weeks! That's a long time Ralph," Toby says with wide eyes as he pulls up to his school and getting in line behind all the other cars.

"I said, 'no more'...than two weeks" he said, getting out of the car and pulling his backpack on over his shoulders.

"Bye Toby," he called, running towards the school building so he wouldn't miss class.

"Bye. Love ya," he yelled after him, watching him wave bye to him from the school entrance. It was kind of sad. He's always wanted to know what it was like to be a dad, and Ralph is the closest he was ever going to get probably.

***Later, at the garage***

"Your back, took you long enough. Paige wants you to finish some of your reports," Happy says, slamming a case file into his chest and patting it with a smirk before walking away, walking over to her desk to do her own work.

"Aaand another boring day at work," he whines, kicking his feet up on the desk and putting his headphones over his ears. It was time to finish up his reports and maybe cleaning up the other various things scattered across his desk.

Sylvester didn't have much to do that day since he already did all his case reports, unlike someone he knew. He spent most of the day reorganizing his desk, sanitizing his computer screen and keyboard, as well as restocking his supply of clothespins and paperclips. When he finished with the basics, he grabbed his special cube and displayed it front and center at the corner of his desk, just like it was supposed to be. Paige walked over to his desk and picked it up to examine it.

"What's so special about this one?" she asked, setting it down in front of him. She had noticed how he reacted the other day when Sage was messing with it and she was kind of curious of why he reacted the way he did.

"That was Megan's, I gave it to her as a present for her birthday. She played with it in the room at the hospital and that is exactly how I found it when I cleaned out the room and that is exactly how it will stay," he insisted, grabbing it and placing it back on the corner of his desk. He put away all the other Rubik's cubes he had and stood up, heading over to his chalkboard.

"Okay," she said a little sympathetically, patting his back and heading back to her desk.

Toby watched the whole scene from his desk. For once he decided not to open his big mouth and say anything about it.

***At Sage's school***

"So Sage, was that your dad this morning? He's kind of hot," Jenny said with a huge grin on her face, following Sage to her locker. Jenny was Sage's… friend, if you could call her that. Sage had no particular interest in being the girl's friend, but Jenny followed her around anyway.

"Yes, that was my dad," she fibbed, "and no he is not hot," she insisted, opening her locker.

All day everyone questioned Sage about her father. She never mentioned any family, and her parents never showed up to school events, so they were bound to ask questions about the abnormal encounter. Since she was everybody's 'friend', everybody wanted to ask her about her so-called father. She wasn't popular, she was more of the person that's impossible to dislike, she was also willing to do homework for just a bit of cash, so that was also a plus. So everyone likes to talk to her, and spend time with her, even though she has tried her best to distance herself over the years.

"Oh, come on! You have to admit that without the hat, he'd look absolutely beautiful," Jenny replied, with a star struck look on her face as she fanned over him.

"First off, eww. Second, I've seen him in nothing but boxers, and I still don't find him attractive whatsoever," Sage said, slamming her locker.

"Ooh, does he have abs?" she asked excitedly.

"Ugh!"

***At dismissal***

Toby was outside the school waiting for Sage to get out for the day. Paige had asked him to pick up the kids again since he had nothing better to do. Ralph was in the front seat, chatting about some stupid drama that was spreading around his school. He had got out before Sage, so Toby picked him up first so he wouldn't have to wait.

After a while kids started filing out of the school, running towards their designated cars, busses, bikes, or anything else they had arrived on that morning.

"Alright, climb in back kid," Toby told Ralph when he spotted Sage in the distance. He made room for Ralph to squeeze into the backseat.

When Sage spotted the car in line she ran over to the and jumped in fast as fast as she could.

"Hurry. Go, GO!" she yelled, looking frantically out the window. It was too late, she had been spotted, and a loud groan emitted from the back of her throat.

"Sage! I want you to introduce me to your dad!" Jenny called, bouncing over to the car and batting her long eyelashes at Toby, grossing him out a little more than just a bit.

"Sir, I'd just like to say, that your wife is very lucky," she said, smiling and waving at him through the window.

"Uh, thanks?" he said, driving away in a hurry.

Jenny blew a kiss to the retreating vehicle, watching it until she couldn't see it anymore.

"What was that all about?" Toby asked, looking over at Sage with wide eyes.

"She thinks you're hot and she said she wants to kiss your beautiful face," Sage answered, looking over at him with a dead expression, not finding it amusing at all.

"Oh. Well tell her that I have a girlfriend already," he said.

"I told her you were married and she still didn't change her mind" Sage said, giving him a sideways glance then turning her attentions back to whatever was outside her window.

"Okay, let's not speak about this in front of the team," Toby says, looking between Sage and Ralph.

"I was totally planning on telling them and the whole world that my idiot friend wants to make out with who she thinks is my dad," she said sarcastically.

"Ha. Funny," Toby grumbles.

He turns up the radio, and they ride the rest of the way to the garage in silence. They arrive and Paige is there to greet her son at the door.

"Thanks Toby," Paige says, giving him a quick side hug in appreciation.

"No problem" he said with a nod, heading straight for his desk.

Sage sets up her sketchbook and materials at the table in the kitchen and starts on a new drawing. Ralph takes a seat next to her to keep her company while he eats his snack. Watching how she draws the lines in concentration and scrunches up her face in frustration.

While the kids were busy Happy heads over to see Toby and hops up onto his desk, tucking her legs underneath her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure" he smirked, putting down the psych book he was reading and rests a hand on her knee.

"I think we should take Sage shopping," Happy says, playing with his fingers resting on her leg.

"Like, like, with money?" he asks, taken a bit off guard.

"What other type of shopping is there doofus?" Happy laughs.

"Yeah, sure. When?" He asks, sitting himself up in his chair a bit.

"Now. With the whole team. They can each pitch in, buying her clothes and other things she might need in the next couple days," Happy says, looking around at his much more organized desk she had made him clear up that day. It`s still not fully cleaned.

"How do you know she's going to be staying for a long time?" Toby asks.

"If I know anything about fear and trust. I know it takes a while, especially with someone like Sage," she says bluntly.

"Okay fair enough," He stands dramatically before yelling, "We all are going shopping!" He announces to the whole garage.

Happy hits him hard, and he grabs the arm she hit and scrunched up his face in pain.

"We're all going shopping?" Paige asks excitedly.

"Apparently," Toby says, rubbing his sore arm and glaring at Happy.

"Yay," she squeals.


	11. It's Not Easy to Earn

Ralph and Sage hear Paige's shout of excitement from the kitchen, along with everybody else in the garage.

"What's going on?" Walter shouts frantically, running down the stairs after hearing Paige's outburst from the loft. Sylvester, Cabe, Sage and Ralph make their way to Toby's desk in a hurry to check out what all the commotion was about.

"You didn't even hear the announcement did you?" Happy asked all of them with an annoyed sigh.

"Uh… no I didn't," Walter answers truthfully with a shake of his head.

"We're all going shopping to buy Sage some stuff while she stays with us," Toby announces again, grabbing his hat and his jacket hanging on the back of his chair.

"No. The hat stays here," Happy says, grabbing the hat off his head and dropping it in one of his drawers then hitting it shut with her hip.

"We're shopping for me?" Sage asked, raising her eyebrows in suspicion

"Yes. And we're all going to pitch in some money to get you some things you need," Paige says, bouncing in excitement. "Ooh, this is going to be so fun".

"You don't have to. I have another flannel and pair of jeans in my bag," Sage said, pointing over to her tattered backpack she left on the table in the kitchen.

"She said she doesn't need anything. So I'll just go back to my research" Walter said, attempting to climb back up to the loft, but Paige caught his arm, spinning him back around towards the group.

"We are ALL going to go shopping to buy Sage some stuff. Got it." Paige said, eyeing everyone individually. She could be scary when she wanted to be and right now she was scary, so everyone nodded vigorously while voicing their agreements.

"Okay. Um, I was able to get another van from Cooper. We can all ride in that, let's just try not to blow it up this time," Cabe sighed after recovering from Paige's harsh invite.

"Perfect. Come on," Paige said, reverting back into her happy and excited persona. Beating everyone to the garage door and dragging both her son and Sage behind her.

***In the Van***

Toby rode shotgun while Cabe drove the new van. He said he had to stop by and pick up something before heading off to the mall, so he sat in front to give Cabe directions. The rest of the team were in the back of the new van. Nobody was crammed together in the seats, there was almost enough room to walk around in it, an exact replica of their first one, that they had trashed terribly without even owning it for six months.

"So, what do you need?" Paige asked Sage, pulling out a notepad and pen from her purse.

"I don't NEED anything," Sage answered with a small smirk and a shrug of her shoulders.

"Kid, listen," Happy says, butting into the conversation, "We are offering to buy you things. Nobody else is going to do that for you so stop trying to act all generous and crap and tell Paige what you need."

Sage nodded, listing off some things she thinks she might need in the months ahead. New flannels and undershirts, jeans, shoes and a backpack are the only things she listed. Things she would be able to carry in her backpack once she got the opportunity to ditch the team and be on her own merry way. She didn't want anything that would weigh her down while she was running from whoever would decide to chase after her in the future.

After she stayed silent for a minute or two, Paige looked up at her. She realized there was nothing else Sage seemed to want, so she started writing her own things down to buy Sage, things that every child or girl, in her opinion, should have.

"New sketchbook, skateboard, collection of pens and markers, video games, and jewelry. Nothing too fancy, something nice that will last a long time, but not uncomfortable to wear everywhere," she added after getting a good look at Sage's disgusted face.

The list was done and they were stopped in front of a house in a nice neighborhood. Definitely not the mall or any type of store, but Sage immediately knew where they were and internally groaned. Toby had exited the van while they were talking about stuff to buy and he was knocking on the door of the gray house, so it was already too late to try and stop him. The front door swung open and Colby walked out with a big grin, closing the door behind him. He followed Toby to the van and climbed in through the side door as Sage threw her head back in exasperation.

"Hey Sage. Long time no see" he joked, sitting down next to her.

"Hey Ralph, good to see you too buddy" he said, holding out his hand for a high-five.

"Okay, let's go" Toby said, climbing back into the passenger seat.

"What are you doing here?" Sage asked turning her head to shoot him a glare.

"Toby called and asked if I wanted to go shopping with you guys. Since I didn't have anything else better to do, I agreed" he answered, buckling his seatbelt. "I know you're happy to see me, no need to pretend you aren't."

Sage continued to glare at him and lowered her voice to a whisper so no one else could hear.

"Just don't get too attached to them, I'm leaving as soon as I get the chance," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Colby just teased her.

"Awww, the tiny little Sage is getting all huffy about her best friend going with her new family to the mall. How adorable," he cooed. Sage's only response was a swift punch in the gut.

"Okay, I guess I deserved that," he said with a groan, while Ralph just laughed hysterically.

Toby turned around in his seat and shot a big grin at Happy.

"Hey Hap, look it's us!" he yelled excitedly at the two of them.

***

They stopped first at a clothing store. With jeans, shirts, dresses, shoes, jewelry, and pretty much everything else. It was a really big store. Mostly for women, only parts of the store had men clothing, and even then there weren't many men because their wives, mothers, or sisters were doing the shopping for them.

Finding things that fit Sage's small form is what was difficult. She wasn't even picky, except for the fact that she would only where flannels, something long sleeved, or a t-shirt with a jacket. She claimed it was the most logical thing to buy, because it worked as both summer clothes and winter clothes so she wouldn't have to invest in new outfits every time the seasons decided to change.

She refused to where the color pink, but other than that she would wear anything. She was just really small, and it was impossible to find her size in anything.

The guys of the group were just uncomfortable being in the women's, or girls section of the store. They stood in the aisles in a big group, huddling together like penguins. Picking up a pink frilly dress on a hanger and giving it a confused look.

Toby was the only one actively helping Paige look for outfits that might work. Eventually they found Sage's size in shorts and jeans. Three new flannels, and a denim jacket, with cloth sleeves. Three new pairs of skinny jeans, dark blue, black, and grey. Which in total was much more than Sage was hoping for.

The guys were relieved when Paige said they were done. They basically ran in the direction of the nearest cash register.

"Where you guys going?" Paige called before they got too far, while walking the opposite way, with Toby waiting at her side and the outfits thrown over his arm. Happy was waiting on her other side with her arms crossed and an amused smile, as she watched Walter's face contort from relief into terror.

"I thought you said we were done," Walter spluttered, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"Yeah, we're done with shirts and jeans, we still need several other things," Paige said, pointing to the list. Sage's eyes bugged out and Happy rolled hers. While everybody else gave a quiet groan after Paige spun around and headed off down the tiled path.

Somewhere along the way through the store Sylvester and Ralph dispersed from the group. Nobody seemed to know where they went. They didn't worry too much because Ralph was with Sylvester to keep him from freaking out or getting lost. Cabe and Colby got lost in a heated discussion about football and guns, they didn't pay any attention to the events occurring around them.

Paige and Toby were able to find a new black backpack, and new shoes for Sage, while Happy looked through the various jackets in the area. When they finished they headed off to the front of the store to check out and spotted Sly and Ralph at the register waiting for them.

Both Sylvester and Ralph had a handful of items and as Sage got closer she was able to recognize a few of the things they had picked up. An original, plain black skateboard, a new sketchbook, and what Sylvester claims to be the best markers in the store.

"Ralph and I did all the math," Sylvester stated proudly. "Considering the amount of drawing you do, and the normal human tendency to switch things up, each marker should last for about three months".

"Thanks so much Sylvester," Sage said, grinning up at him.

"Ralph helped pick out some things to" Sylvester said, gesturing to Ralph standing beside him. "I also got you this". Ralph pulled out a Rubik's cube from inside the plastic bag, still in the box it came in. "Sylvester told me about your interest in his Rubik's cubes".

Sage grinned at him and pulled him in for a hug, and he had better appreciate it because she didn't give out hugs very often.

"So, are we ready to check out" Paige asked, all the clothes Sage had picked out, in hand. More like, all the clothes she picked out for her. It seemed her and Toby were more excited about the new clothes than she was.

While the two of them were checking out Sage and the rest of the team stood back near the door.

"Happy, is Toby the woman in your relationship?" Sage asked, looking up at Happy. She just burst out laughing along with Cabe and Sylvester. Walter was even grinning and trying to contain his laughter. She must have been right on the mark on that one.

***

"Hey, we should go to that nerd store Sly loves. They usually have new releases on video games," Toby said, drinking the last of his Coke he bought from a vending machine outside the store for Happy and him to share.

"It's not a nerd store. It is a store that holds, sells, and collects rare and unique comics, action figures and relics" Sylvester says.

"So a...nerd store?" Toby asks, raising his eyebrows. Sylvester gives up and shows them the way to the old store, that he seemed to visit at least twice a week.

Walter, Happy and Paige hung around the entrance of the store, not really sure on what to do with themselves. Sylvester disappeared as soon as he saw a cardboard statue of Super Fun Guy that said "New Releases". While Cabe, not very familiar with video games and comic books, looked around the store trying to at least understand a few of them. Colby helped him out by explaining to him what some of the stations and games were and the whole time he looked like someone was telling him unicorns and trolls were real.

Toby, Sage, and Ralph, looked at the video game shelves in another corner of the store. Sage had only ever played them at school or at Colby's current house when his current parents were out. She didn't have much experience, but she was fascinated whenever she did get the chance to play them.

"I have an XBox, PlayStation, and Wii at the house. Pick out whatever games you think you'll like," Toby said, looking at another shooting game that came out recently, while Ralph looked through the various racing and adventure games.

"I don't know what I like. I've never played for long periods of time. Do you have any recommendations?" She asked, looking up at Toby for some form of instruction. He only shrugged and looked over at Ralph.

"Uh, have you ever played Mario before?" He asked. Sage shook her head. "Well that's a beginners game, maybe MarioKart and an original Mario game," Ralph says, taking out two games from one of the bottom racks for Sage to look at. Toby looked over at the games Sage was holding and cocked his head.

"I've never played Mario before, is it fun?" He asked Ralph.

"I love Mario, it's one of my favorite games" he said, with a cheeky smile.

"Maybe you can come over and hang out this weekend. Teach us about Mario, maybe eat enough ice cream to pass as our dinners" Toby joked with a wide smile.

"Can I? I love it when you and Happy babysit. You let me do whatever I want," Ralph says, getting a little excited.

"Don't tell you mom that, but as long as it's okay with Sage, Happy, and your mom, then yeah you can come over," he said, putting back the shooting game he was looking at.

Ralph ran over towards Happy and Paige at the entrance, asking if he could go over that weekend to play video games.

"I actually needed a babysitter this weekend. So I don't mind, ask Happy first though, okay sweetie," Paige said, running a hand through his hair momentarily before he darts off to ask Happy the same question.

"Can I Happy?" he pleaded, with that begging expression that Toby must have taught him.

"Yeah, bring a sleeping bag though. If Toby doesn't clean out that spare room for Sage soon like I've been telling him to, you might have to sleep on the ground," Happy agreed, smiling at the eagerness of the young boy.

Ralph always got excited when Happy and Toby babysat him, they would stay up all night doing whatever he wanted and they weren't all that stit about healthy eating while he was there either. As long as he didn't eat too much to get himself sick they would let him eat whatever he wanted.

Toby bought Sage the two games and bought another one for himself. Then after a couple minutes of waiting, Sylvester emerged from who knows where with an armful of collectibles. He payed for the "toys" and demanded that each were wrapped with newspaper and had a separate bag to avoid them getting scratched or chipped.

"Ready to escape?" Toby asked, leading the kids towards the exit, where Walter, Paige and Happy were waiting patiently. Cabe's mind was now mush from all the explanations about video games. He decided to stick with his classic movies and old games. Those required less thinking and learning, and they didn't make his head hurt as much. Colby just laughed at him when he groaned and held his hands to his head when they exited.

***

Sage, Happy, and Paige were at some store shopping for girl things while the boys ate their dinner in the cafeteria. It has been over five hours of shopping, and everyone was exhausted. Ralph fell asleep in Cabe's lap not too long after he finished his dinner, and Sylvester refused to sit at the unsanitary tables or eat the food they were serving after seeing someone sneeze into the mashed potatoes. Walter wasn't saying much, so Toby decides to strike up a conversation. Another way of saying, he was trying to gather information about Sage, since she wouldn't tell them herself.

"Colby, has Sage ever talked to you about her past?" Toby asked, putting down his pizza and folding his hands under his chin to gaze over at the teenage boy.

"No. Whenever I ask her about it she tenses up and doesn't talk to me the rest of the day. So I don't ask, I can tell something has been bothering her though," Colby answered, playing with his spaghetti and twirling it around his plastic fork.

"Do have an idea of what her living conditions are?" Toby pries.

"If Sage wanted you to know, she would have told you already," Colby snaps.

"That's the problem. We want to help her, but we can't if she doesn't tell us anything," Toby says, in an attempt to get Colby to talk.

"Listen," he sighs, "Sage is a very private person. She doesn't even tell me everything and I'm her best friend. That means that it's something really bad, and she would tell you if she felt comfortable, you can't push her too hard. She may be small, but she's tough, and if you push her she will clam up and you will have no chance at helping her," Colby says, looking up at Toby.

"Can you just answer this one question?" Toby asks.

"Depends on what it is," Colby says, taking a bite of his spaghetti.

"Is anybody taking care of her. Like if she disappears for a few days, would anyone notice?" Toby asks.

"Uh, I would notice. What? Are you planning on kidnapping her?" He jokes.

"There's no need, she's staying with me and Happy for a while. Can you answer the question please?" Toby asks, growing just a little impatient.

"As far as I know, she doesn't have any parents or a guardian," Colby says, taking another bite of his spaghetti, "I'm sure you already knew that."

That's when the three girls return with a bagful of stuff and more stuff. The cafeteria in the mall was a long walk from the store they were at. Their feet were hurting and they were hungry. The guys had ordered what they thought the girls would like to eat so they wouldn't have to wait in those long lines if they came back hungry. Apparently that was a good thing, because they came back very hungry.

"Food," Happy groaned, seeing the food at the seat next to Toby.

"Here you go, love" Toby said, taking out her pizza and putting it on a plate for her to eat.

Walter does the same with Paige's sub sandwich, and Sage pulled out her cheeseburger. Picked out by Colby, and bought by Toby.

The girls devoured their food much quicker than the guys had. Soon content with the amount of food in their bellies.

"Can we go now," Ralph groaned, getting up from Cabe's lap and yawned, which in turn made everyone else yawn.

"Sure thing sweetie" Paige said, ruffling his hair after she recovered from her long and tired yawn.

Most of the bags and things they bought were already in the van. They had made a trip to drop off the bags while the girls continued shopping. Paige picked up the one bag left and gestured for the others to follow.

***In the Van***

Everyone was falling asleep. They were all tired, and it didn't help that the van was a comfortable place to sleep in.

Cabe was driving again, and Sylvester was riding shotgun. The rest of the team was in the was asleep, leaning against his mother, and Paige was asleep, leaning against Walter. Happy was almost asleep, leaning completely against Toby, while Toby tried to stay awake so he could drive home when they got to the garage.

Sage was ny far the most exhausted. Trying on clothes, picking them out, and walking five miles in a mall, all add up to exhaustion. She was trying her best not to fall asleep and it didn't help that Colby was already passed out next to her, snoring softly. Eventually he had to wake up, because they were at his house, ready to drop him off.

There was still about 10 minutes left until they reached the garage, so Sage decided that a small nap wouldn't be that bad. As soon as her head hit Toby's other shoulder, she was fast asleep. Now Toby was trapped. Walter looked over at him and snickered at his misfortune.

They arrived at the garage at 10:03, and it was a school night.

Toby had to shake awake Sage and Happy, both apparently very violent when awoken from a deep sleep. Nobody even bothered saying goodbye, they all just went their separate ways. Cabe took Sylvester home, Walter went home with Paige and Ralph and Happy and Sage slept in Toby's car, while he was driving them home.

"Time to wake up" he yelled, parking in the only available parking space at their apartment complex.

They both groaned, but only one got up and out of the car. Happy was still asleep in the car, at least trying to sleep.

"Come on Happy," Toby said, yawning and grabbing her hand, attempting to pull Happy out of the car.

Happy retracted her hand from his and curled up on the seat.

"Go away Doc," she groaned.

"Happy you can't stay out here, and I am not carrying you up 3 flights of stairs," Toby replied, with a stern voice.

She groaned and grabbed her things, pouted, and dizzily walked to the entrance of the building. Once inside, nobody even bothered getting dressed. Happy just threw off her shirt and put on one of Toby's t-shirts, not even bothering to take off her jeans, before collapsing in their bed. Toby set up Sage's bed on the couch again, while she waited patiently, rubbing her eyes to stay awake.

"There you go," he said, patting the couch.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Now I am going to sleep" he said, walking to his room.

All the things the team had bought Sage were piled by the front door. Toby and Sage carried them in, Happy would barely get out of the car, let alone carry bags to the apartment. Sage sighed, content with her current situation, and hugged the pillow before falling asleep. Maybe she wouldn't run away after all.


	12. Ohana Means Family

It was finally Friday, four whole days of the new arrangement and things were going quite well. The whole team had grown accustomed to Sage, a lot like they did Ralph in the beginning. This time though, Walter wasn't as involved with Sage as he was Ralph. He would greet her in the mornings with a smile like he did anyone else, or a goodnight when she went home with Toby and Happy, but other than that he kept his distance. Always disappearing up into the loft to work on his latest project. Whenever they did interact he would give her a quizzical look, as if he were trying to figure something out and Sage still didn't know exactly what he was trying to find.

Ralph seemed to enjoy the new company. Sage was his size, maybe a little smaller, and she could understand at least half of what he was talking about, and she was able to get involved in the conversation. Other kids at his school would tend to give him odd looks when he started talking, even at the college sometimes. It did help that they knew each other before, and it felt like just catching up as old friends, and it made it easier for him to strike up a fun conversation with her. Sage seemed to enjoy his company too, joking and laughing together, at least he'd like to think so.

Sylvester really enjoyed Sage's company too, but only when she was in a good mood. She could be fine one second, smiling and laughing at something silly he said, then he'd ask the wrong question and her whole persona changed. She would frown and her eyebrows would lower. She'd give him a curt reply of 'that's none of your business,' then stalk off and sit at the kitchen table and draw by herself for the rest of the day. Sylvester would discuss her math theories and solutions then help her work them out on his chalkboard. He would teach her other complicated math problems, and watch her try to figure them out. It was like having a little sister.

Paige liked Sage for many reasons. Mostly because she got along so well with Ralph, and could get him involved in a conversation, or actually being a friend that is under 20 years old. It was also nice to have another girl around. Sure there was Happy, and Sage was like Happy in some ways, but she was able to talk with Sage and ask her non-personal questions. Just the other day Sage went to her for advice, because she was having trouble in school. She was telling Paige about how everybody talked to her, and were always surrounding her. She tried to keep things discreet to avoid attention from anyone of high authority. She never got a grade above a B and never participated in afterschool events. Paige sort of understood what she was talking about, and tried her best to understand it from her point of view. She understood trying to avoid the attention, but she didn't understand why she was so determined to push everyone away.

Cabe and Sage bonded pretty quickly. Just another grandkid to spoil was his thinking, even if she'd only been there for three days. He was still harsh on her, because he didn't want to get too attached. This was only a temporary situation. He would love to add Sage to their little family, he just might have to talk to someone about making that work out, but for now he needs to focus on the information he needs. If he can reunite her with her real family, that's exactly what he was going to do.

Happy was perfectly fine with the new living situation. Sure she and Toby didn't get as much personal time, but it was nice to have someone who always took your side in silly arguments. But if her side was a little irrational, Sage would side with Toby, who always did a triumphant dance afterwards to show off that he was right. Happy always had trouble keeping a straight face afterwards, especially when he ended up falling on his face.

Every morning so far when Happy woke up to make breakfast, Sage would sit at the counter and talk with her. They would have some pretty fun conversations, mostly about the team and Toby. Sage loved it when Happy would tell her about some of the cases they had done in the past. Amazed at how dangerous their job was and Happy liked to see the awestruck face she made every time they got to the tragic parts, where someone almost dies. It was nice to have someone to talk to, that would listen, understand, and care. Someone other than Toby.

Toby was probably the most affected by Sage's arrival. He was acting like an annoying dad without even trying. More like a dad that spoils his kid non stop, that was more him. Making lame dad jokes, and teasing her about her friends and boys at school, while also sneaking her more desert when Happy wasn't looking, or teaming up to terrorize Walter after school. It was fun and it seemed that Sage thought so too.

It drove Walter nuts though, it was like having two Toby's around to mess with him. It seemed that she found joy in making him miserable just like their resident doctor.

Every day, Toby would drive Ralph and Sage to school and pick them up afterwards, bringing them back to the garage to visit with the team for the rest of the day, until they had to go home for the night.

Things seemed to affect Sage as well, she adored everyone on the team so much. After the trip to the mall she started opening up a bit more. First to Toby and Happy, then Sylvester and Paige, they were really easy to talk to. Then Cabe took a day or two, because of his pushiness and demands when they first met. She still kept her distance from him because even though she trusts him, she had avoided people like him her whole life, it was kind of a natural habit. To be honest, Sage was a little intimidated by Walter. Whenever they spoke it would be a short and discreet answer, unless he was yelling at her and Toby. That part was pretty fun to watch. If they got lucky his face might turn red from anger and he would go into what Toby called 'tantrum mode'. Other than that they didn't interact much, they never held any discussions and they never sought out each other for company.

Sage's favorite part of the day would probably be when Colby would come over after school, and hang around with her and Ralph. They would play a few board games, which Ralph always won. It pissed her off to no end and it didn't help her frustration when both boys found her anger amusing.

Everyday, she and Ralph got a little more comfortable with one another. They talked and laughed, poking fun at the geniuses in the garage when they did something stupid; which was very often. He would help her with science, and she would help him with history. The classes they don't ever pay attention in. Sure they liked it, but sometimes the homework was so ridiculous it didn't matter how high your IQ was.

Sometimes Ralph would take out his laptop and show her how to code on the computer. She wasn't the world's best hacker, but she learned a lot with Ralph teaching her. She prefered action over electronics, but knowing computers would also be a handy skill to have.

There was no doubt about it, these have been the best days of her life.

Even though it has only been a few days, Sage feels more safe and comfortable than she ever had in her life. It feels like her first ever family and that scared her, she doesn't want to be dumped and pushed to the side after she tells them the information they want. Or even worse, they might put her in the system and she would never get adopted. No family would want a trouble child that has a history with crooks. She wants to trust that they would never do that to her, especially Ralph, but she can never be too safe. Either way, she might as well enjoy it while she can.

Toby had finally fixed up her temporary bedroom. Clearing out all the old boxes and books that he had collected over the years, leaving a slightly dusty bed, along with a small desk and closet for her things.

That meant Ralph didn't have to sleep on the floor when he comes over tonight. The two of them have been waiting for the weekend to come ever since the plans have been made.

Walter and Paige were going on a weekend vacation, and since Toby had invited him over anyway to play video games, it kind of worked out.

"Have you gotten the hang of the new Mario game?" Ralph asked, eating his after school snack with Sage at the table.

"I haven't had much time to play with school and homework, but I've played a few games with Happy and Toby," she said, eating an oyster cracker they had found in the cupboard, "I've just been super tired lately."

"Well that means I might have an advantage," Ralph smirked at her and laughed. She stuck her tongue out at him, stuffing more crackers in her mouth.

"I'm going to kick your butt after I get the hang of it," she retaliated.

This time Ralph stuck out his tongue at her in response and the both of them burst into a fit of laughter.

"What're you kids laughing about?" Toby smiles, wanting to join in on the fun. Putting his coffee mug in the sink, and turning around to face the two attempting to calm themselves.

"We-we were arguing about who would beat who at video games this weekend," Sage was able to breathe out, before laughing again.

"And how is that funny?" Toby asked, raising his eyebrows in confusion.

"It was a face I made. Sage started laughing at it and then I started laughing at her laughing," Ralph said. They were both starting to calm down a little bit.

"Okay then. Finish up your snacks, we're going to leave in a few minutes to drop Walt and your mother off at the airport. Then we can go home and settle this little debate," he said, ruffling both of their heads before walking back to his desk. Cleaning up all the miscellaneous items strewn over it.

"Are you going to miss your mom?" Sage asked after they finished up their snack, standing on her tippy toes to put the box of oyster crackers back where they found it, "I've only been staying with Toby and Happy for a few days, and if they left I would miss them a lot".

"I don't know. She's been gone before, and I always miss her each time. But maybe this time I won't, because I have you to distract me, and Toby and Happy. They're really fun, you made a good choice on picking them to stay with. The two of them are hilarious" Ralph smiled, gathering his bag of clothes he packed for the weekend.

"When did Toby and Happy get together? And how? I mean their a cute together and all, but they're two totally different people, and they always get into the these silly arguments at home. I can't imagine what it might've been like to get them together," Sage said.

"It was definitely an emotional roller coaster for sure. It's a really complicated and long and a very detailed story" Ralph said, remembering all the crazy events that led up to them being together. The ridiculous attempts Toby had made and the countless wrenches thrown across the room, followed shortly by a girlish screech.

"Maybe I can get the story out of you three this weekend" Sage smiled, helping him with his other bag by throwing it over her shoulder.

"It's going to be interesting how they tell the story," Ralph laughed..

"I'm still going to get the whole story out of them this weekend," Sage said with determination.

"Come on kids. Walt and Paige are already in their car, waiting," Happy yelled, running towards the garage door and throwing it open.

"Come on" Sage said, grabbing her things and chasing after Happy. Ralph and Toby not far behind.

***At the Airport***

Walter and Paige got out of Paige's car,and grabbed their bags from the trunk. Ralph rolled down the window and stuck his head out to wish his mother one last goodbye before they headed off.

"Have fun in San Diego guys," he said with a wave. Paige smiled and smoothed his hair before placing a kiss on the top of his head.

"Bye sweetie. I'll miss you" she yelled before sprinting into LAX airport to catch their flight, with Walter carrying another suitcase behind her.

Toby and Sage were riding in his old, beat up car, and Happy had driven Walter and Paige to the airport in their car. Now it was just her and Ralph. Sage was riding with Toby to keep him company, and Ralph moved from the backseat to the passenger seat in his mom's car, while Happy drove back to the nearest supermarket..

"You ready for an awesome weekend?" Toby asked, pulling up to the drive thru of the closest pizza place. They had ordered a cheese and pepperoni pizza for dinner. Happy and Ralph were stocking up on ice cream, chips, candy, and soda for the gaming session taking place later that night.

"Yep," she answered while Toby laid the hot pizza boxes in her lap. He payed with cash and they sped off towards the apartment.

"Yes! We beat Happy," Toby pumped his fist, pulling into an empty parking space. He grabbed the pizza so Sage could climb out. She grabbed her bag and followed him up to the third floor. He attempted unlocking the door, while balancing the two pizza boxes with one hand. It didn't work very well, and Sage could already foresee the inevitable if he kept at it much longer. So she took the keys from his hand and unlocked the door with ease before he could make a mess of himself and their dinner. Once inside Toby placed the two boxes on the counter in the kitchen and pulled out his phone to text Happy.

"Alright, she'll be here in a few minutes. In the meantime, why don't we set everything up," he said, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

They set up the Mario Kart game first. Then they took out the plates and cups and placed pizza slices of varying sizes on the plates. By then Happy and Ralph were home and putting the cold stuff in the fridge.

Four controllers are on the coffee table, waiting to be held and played. All four of them squeeze onto the couch. Ralph and Sage sandwiched in the middle, with Happy and Toby on either side.

Toby picks Luigi, Happy picks Toad, Ralph picks Yoshi, and Sage picks Donkey Kong, because she likes Monkey's.

The next two hours involve sabotage, yelling, triumph, along with sticky faces and hands from the ice cream. It got so bad that the people from next door came over and yelled at them to keep their voices down. And it wasn't even 7:00 yet. At 8:00, almost all the levels were unlocked, and it's a four way tie. The next round of races will determine the winner. Which turns out be Happy, even in video games she's very serious about her driving.

"Well, my new favorite video game is Mario," Toby said, placing his controller on the table to take a sip of his soda.

"This isn't even the real Mario. This is nothing compared to the actual game," Ralph said, getting up from the couch to switch games.

Toby looks at his watch. "Alright two more hours, then I'm going to sleep".

"Ditto" Happy says, picking up her controller again.

"Alright, let's play," Ralph says, bounding back to the couch, already hyped up from all the sugar..

This games was a bit quieter, mostly because they were working as a team. Sometimes Toby and Happy, or Sage and Ralph would get competitive and maybe a little vocal, but other than that, things stayed pretty peaceful. They all laughed and played Mario for the next two hours. They reached world 4, before Toby and Happy insisted on going to bed to get some actual sleep.

"You guys can stay up, but we are going to sleep. Tv off by 11, and in bed by 12. We've got plans for tomorrow," Toby said, picking up the dirty dishes, discarded napkins, and food spread all over the coffee table.

"We do?" Happy asked quizzically, looking over at him with a raised eyebrow..

"Yeah, I'll tell you in the room," he says, gesturing to the bedroom at the end of the hall.

They finish cleaning the mess, and Sage and Ralph get kicked off the couch so Toby can set up Ralph's bed.

"You guys have fun. Not too much fun though," he said, making the two giggle some more, before joining Happy in their room.

"How far do you think we can get in an hour?" Ralph asks.

"Let's try for World 6" Sage says, unpausing their game and playing again.

"I've got to admit, you're really good at this" Ralph commented with a quick nod of his head.

"What? You thought I was lying earlier about me being awesome?" Sage jokes with a wide smile.

"Haha." Ralph laughed sarcastically.

Ralph won the game for them on the last level in World 6, and it was time to turn the game off and get ready for bed. It didn't matter either, because they were both already exhausted from the long night.

"What do you think we're doing tomorrow?" Sage was speaking quietly through the door while Ralph was using her room to get changed so they wouldn't wake up Happy or Toby.

"I don't know. But if Toby's made the plans, it will be pretty unexpected," Ralph answered, opening the door, dressed in his rocket pajamas.

"It's probably just some place for kids that he's been dying to go to and just hasn't had an excuse to go." Sage said, taking her turn in the room and shutting the door behind her.

"I guess, but it'll be fun no matter where we go, because we're with Toby and Happy. They can make almost anything exciting." Ralph got settled on the couch and pulled up the blankets.

Before Sage got into bed she opened the door and said goodnight to Ralph. Now they just had to sleep and wait for Toby's crazy surprise in the morning.


	13. My Worst Enemy is My Memory

"Toby! Toby! Toby!" Ralph shook Toby's shoulder violently, attempting to wake the exhausted psychiatrist.

"Not now Ralph, go back to bed," he grunted, turning over onto his other side with a big groan.

"No! It's Sage, something's wrong," Ralph says, continuing to shake Toby, but now with a bit more added force. His shaking ended up waking Happy, and Happy didn't even hesitate to kick Toby off the bed and onto the floor. He landed with a loud grunt and of course a complaint.

"Ow, my kidney," he whines, rolling to his side to lift himself up off the floor. When he's able to stand on two feet the sound of Sage's faint whimpers became more clear.

He yawned and grabbed a shirt, then sprinted out the door with Ralph trailing behind him. As he got closer to her door he could hear her pleads and cries getting louder. He opened the door a crack and peered in. He could see a small ball protruding from underneath the covers in the center of the mattress, the source of the quiet cries for help.

"No! Please, don't!" She pleaded.

Toby rushed over to the side of her bed and peeled back the sheets. He uncurled her and sat her up so she was leaning against the headboard, and rubbing both her arms to calm her down and wake her up from the nightmare.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just a dream," he whispered to her after Sage woke up, the streaks formed by her salty tears were still visible running down her cheeks. Sage looked up at him with her knees pressed tightly to her chest. She was still shaking and she had trouble catching her breath, but she was eventually able to calm herself down to an extent. Then she saw Ralph watching her at the doorway of the room, biting his lip.

"You had nightmares on Wednesday and Thursday, do you want to tell me what's going on?" Toby soothed, lowering his voice to a calm whisper. Sage latched onto him, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist and grabbing handfuls of his shirt. She pressed her face into his chest and let out a few shaky breaths. She doesn't know what her dreams are about, or why they were so scary. As soon as she wakes up the thought of them and what was happening was gone. All she could feel was the fear, sweat, and tears that followed suit.

"I-I can never remember what they're about," she mumbled into his shirt, just loud enough so Toby could understand.

Toby shoed Ralph out of the room, then tried his best to comfort her. He sat up against the headboard beside her, and wrapped his arm around her small shoulders. She still had her face pressed into his chest by the time Happy joined them a little while later. She saw Toby petting her hair gently like he usually did for her when she was upset about something. He was talking about some random nonsense as Sage nodded along almost out of habit.

"What's going on?" Happy asks. Toby looked up and gave a half smile.

"She had another nightmare," he said, combing a hand through her soft hair again and brushing the tips of his fingers against her cheek..

"Again?" she asked, raising a brow in surprise..

Sage was wide awake, too scared to go back to sleep. The thought of that pitted feeling in her stomach and the fear overtaking her entire being was not something she wanted to experience again anytime soon. These dreams are a nightly occurrence, she doesn't know why. Some are worse than others, she could be screaming bloody murder, or just a few whimpers,but each time, she wakes up with the same dosage of fear and isolation.

Both Toby and Happy stayed right by her side until she fell into a deep sleep. They both knew what it was like to be scared and not have anyone there to comfort them. Waking up with the fear of being entirely alone and then being hit with the realization that it wasn't just a dream.

Happy sat on Toby's other side, winding her arm around his own and leaning her head on his shoulder while he comforted Sage on the opposite side. By then Sage had released her hold on Toby's shirt and was lying on her side with her back to the two of them. He gently rubbed her back until he was positive her breathing had evened and she had floated back into a dreamless sleep.

It was 3:00 when they finally left for their own bed. A whole hour and Sage was sound asleep. Every time she had a nightmare, she would claim that it was nothing and insist that everything was alright, even though Toby could see the fear and dried tears on her cheeks. She insisted to be left alone and that it was normal for things like that to happen to her and it was nothing they needed to worry about. Toby had just gave her space, but this time she actually opened up and let both of the help her. She was willingly letting herself be vulnerable to them, the dream must have shook her up pretty bad.

When they exited the room they saw Ralph under the blankets on the couch.

"Is Sage okay?" Was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

"Yeah, she's fine now," Toby says, stretching his back a little and letting out a strained grunt as he did so.

Ralph nodded and laid his head back down on the pillow while Happy and Toby went back to their room to sleep.

Happy woke up at 8:00 on the dot to make everybody pancakes for breakfast. Sage was up and waiting for her at the counter, with her face nestled into her elbow.. Ralph was still asleep on the couch, curled up into a little ball, with the tiniest of snores emitting from the back of his throat.

"You feeling better this morning?" Happy asked, pulling out the ingredients she needed from the fridge.

"Yeah, and thanks for last night," Sage answered shyly. Reaching back to rub the back of her neck.

"No problem. I know what it's like." Happy started measuring, pouring, and stirring the ingredients into the bowl, while Sage cocked her head in confusion. She didn't know much about Happy's past, or even Toby's, but she didn't say anything about it. They talked until Toby stumbled out of the bedroom without being forced, not something you saw everyday. He sat in the stool next to Sage, listening and watching Happy cook with a goofy smile on his face. He didn't say a word until the food was done and Ralph was awake and ready to eat.

"This is so good," Toby groans in pleasure, taking another big bite of the pancakes, his first words of the day.

"Have you ever had pancakes?" Ralph asks, before stuffing a whole syrup soaked pancake into his mouth. Making quite a mess as he did so.

"Yes, but only once. When I was 5 and my mother woke up early to make me breakfast on my first day back to school," Toby said, licking his lips and taking another pancake off the large stack at the center of the table.

"Should I make these more often then?" Happy smirks, taking a bite herself. Keeping herself clean, unlike the other three slobs. Toby nods frantically with his mouth stuffed full with pancakes.

Sage doesn't have time to talk. She's too busy stuffing her own mouth with Happy's delicious pancakes. She's never had the luxury of eating such delicious breakfast food before, and she was definitely going to make the most of it while she was still here.

All 25 pancakes Happy made were gone. Most of them were in Toby's stomach, but everyone else was able to enjoy some too, before they were all devoured by the monster sitting at the other end of the table.

Toby collected all the dishes and put them in the sink to be washed later.

"So... Where are you taking us today?" Sage asked curiously, tugging at the too big shirt that hang around her legs.

"Oh yeah. We have to get ready," Toby says, cleaning the kitchen in a rush. "Everybody, get ready," he yelled, running down the hall to his room to get dressed himself. Ralph, Sage and Happy could hear him yell through the door soon after.

"We have to be out the door in 10 minutes if we want to get there on time." With that statement everyone jumps up and rushes to get dressed. Happy runs to their room while Sage runs to hers. Ralph struggles to get his legs into his jeans without toppling over. Eventually he gives up about trying to be speedy, that way he won't end up falling on his face. He was in the middle of pulling on his shirt when Toby clambers out with his shirt hanging on only half his body. He rushes to the kitchen to grab something then turns to see Ralph struggling to get his arms into the cotton sleeves.

"No long sleeves," he announces, grabbing a bottle of sunscreen out on the counter. Ralph freezes, sighs and pulls off his shirt only to replace it with a thin, comfortable t-shirt.

Toby fixes his own shirt, smoothing it out so it wasn't a wrinkled mess like it was before. He takes the sunscreen and squirts an obnoxiously large amount of the white gooeyness onto his hand, rubbing it all over his face, arms, and the exposed part of his chest before handing it to Ralph. He looked like a snowman going to the beach was Ralph's only thought, before applying to his own arms and face.

"Why do we need sunscreen?" He asked.

"You'll see," Toby smirks, grabbing his satchel and emptying any unneeded contents then stuffing it full with snacks and other things laying around.

Happy and Sage were ready a couple minutes later. Happy wore a dark purple tank top and jeans with her jacket thrown her arm 'just in case'. Sage wore a short sleeved plaid shirt and jean shorts, topped off with the black converse always accompanying her tiny feet.

"Happy, are you sure you don't want to wear shorts?" Toby asks, raising an eyebrow then handing her the sunscreen to lather herself in.

"I'll be fine," she says, squirting just a small amount onto her hand and smearing it gently over her cheeks. She passed it on to Sage and she did the same thing… that is, before Toby stopped her.

"Nu-uh little miss fare-skin. You need to lather up, or else those little cheeks of yours are going to get burnt to a crisp," he says, dumping a large glob of sunscreen into his hand and rubbing it onto her cheeks before she could even protest. She pushes at his hands and attempts to turn her head away as Toby continuously tries rubbing it in.

"I'm not going to burn. I've been outside my whole life and I rarely get burned," She says, when Toby finally takes a step back to inspect his work.

"I'm afraid not sweetcheeks. You unfortunately have the same skin tone as I do and trust me, you need the sunscreen," he starts squirting another glob into his hand, but Sage stops him this time.

"Okay, I will put on sunscreen myself. I'm not showing up in public looking like Frosty the Snowman on vacation," she gives a pointed look to Toby before squirting the sunscreen into her open hand and rubbing it up her arm.

Happy and Ralph only bust out laughing after seeing Toby's bewildered face. They had watched the whole exchange. Either way, it was time to leave, so they rushed out the door while Sage was still attempting to rub the sunscreen into skin. They piled into the car and drove to the unknown destination, the kids giddy with anticipation. After driving for a while Toby finally speaks up.

"We are going to DisneyLand!" he shouted excitedly, throwing his arms up momentarily while Happy only rolled her eyes and focused on her driving.

"What?!" Both Ralph and Sage yelled in excitement from the backseat with wide eyes.

"You heard me," Toby said, turning in his seat to give them both a big grin.

The parking was a nightmare, and the money was ridiculously expensive, not to mention the walking which took forever just to make it to the park,, but eventually they made it and it was totally worth it. That's why Toby wanted to get there as soon as it opened, not as much of a crowd to navigate around.

"So the reason we are here is to plan a surprise trip for the rest of the team. I mean, let's be real here, they all need to get out a little more," Toby says, after gathering the other three towards him. "Our objective is to test every ride and every game, that way when we do come here Mr 197 won't complain about the 'inefficiency'. You guys ready?" He directs the question to Ralph and Sage, who both nod vigorously.

"Good. Let's get started" Happy spoke up, walking into a random direction, not even bothering to look at the map that was currently being studied by Toby. She had to admit, she was pretty excited herself.

"Okay, so this is the last ride and then we'll go check out the food and games," Toby said, stepping in line. Unfortunately this line is by far the longest one in the park, the wait time was probably more than an hour long.

"Ugh, this is the worst part about these amusement parks," Happy groans, following after Toby.

Happy wasn't talking, she was watching the ride, determining the structural integrity of the long ride. She had done it with every other ride and there had been a few minor flaws in the design, but nothing of large significance. So Happy was just making sure that there wasn't a large chance of all of them dying. Toby was mentally going over some notes he made about the current book he was reading, attempting to apply some of the points to a previous client he had had a few years ago. Ralph was just doing his usual daydreaming.

Sage on the other hand tried to think about her math, or drawing but it was way to distracting with the noises, and funky smells wafting around. Everyone else around them were engaging in happy and exciting conversations. Not so much the group she was currently with. Then she remembered that promise to herself, now was the perfect time to start nosing around in her current guardians personal lives.

"Can I ask you two a question?" She asked, gaining the three's attention. Ralph smirked, he knew what Sage was about to drop on them. Chaos was sure to ensue.

"How did you two get together?" To call the look on their face stunned was an understatement to say the least. Happy's mouth dropped into a frown and Toby pursed his lips in thought. It soon changed into a wide smirk.

"Oh, you know, traditional love story. Guy meets girl, girl meets guy, guy loves girl, girl hates guy and likes throwing wrenches at him. Guy charms girl, and girl falls madly in love with guy. The End." He finishes with a shrug of his shoulders, while Happy gives a dramatic eye roll.

"That is just a summary of what happened, there was so much more in between all that. Also, I did not fall madly in love, you just grew on me and I got used to you annoying the crap out of me." Happy looks over at him, arms crossed with her own smirk on her face.

"Well the whole thing is a pretty long story," Toby argues, glancing over at the two across from them, waiting patiently to hear the story.

"Well I think we have enough time," Sage gestures to the people standing around them, tangled up in the long path to get to the ride. Now was a good of time as any.

"Well let's start from the beginning," Toby sighs, tapping at his chin in thought, "When I came to the garage for the first time I saw her at her desk … and then I kind of missed our date," He winced at the memory of his treacherous mistake.

"Seriously! That's why Happy was so mad at you?" Ralph asks, eventually fitting the little details together like a large puzzle, "an entire year of conflict could have been avoided if Toby hadn't missed the date?"

"Yep," Tobys sighs as Happy gives him that look, "not to mention she almost killed me and Frank." Happy only laughed at the memory.

"Frank? Is that the dumb guy you hired to sing me an apology."

"Yes, it is. He still refuses to help me with anything after he met you," Toby said, clearing his throat and continuing their long, detailed story.

"But eventually she forgives me, and we were friends for awhile again, but she was still pissed off at me. Like a lot …... it was pretty bad, Sylvester was like my sidekick most of the time, and he was almost heartbroken when I said I was done with Happy; cold turkey" Toby said dramatically. Moving up a few steps in the line that had shifted in the past 10 minutes. They were getting closer to the ride little by little.

"Is that the day I asked you for help on the dollhouse?" Happy asked suspiciously. It seemed that as the whole story was being told from his point of view, she was learning more things she didn't really know had happened. And hilarious things Toby did, said,or thought throughout the whole ordeal. If she had known back then how much it mattered to Toby she probably would have given him a second chance. There was still a long way to go with the story though.

"I think Happy should take charge of the story from here," Toby looked over at Happy with a smug grin and Happy ignored it like she usually did before picking up where they left off.

"He was driving me nuts with the whole independence thing, and trying to prove himself. It was like he was being an idiot on purpose … so at the end of the day, when we were launching the rocket, I suggested that we try things again, because the last attempt did end so well." Happy said.

"I still remember that crazy thing you said to me in front of the fire, it made absolutely no sense whatsoever" Toby laughed, recalling the happy memory.

"What'd she say?" Sage questioned curiously. She was much more interested in this then she should be.

"She said and I quote, 'last year I kissed you and it didn't work out, so let's try it in reverse this Christmas,'" he grinned over at Happy, who was currently blushing the smallest shade of pink.

"So you kissed her?" Sage pried, with a wide grin.

"Yes. Why are you so interested in this?" Toby laughed.

"Well, my love life sucks, so I gotta live it through you guys" she smiles, leaning against a wall they were near. Ralph glances over at her with a confused gaze before reverting his attention to Toby's laughter.

"Oh, kiddo," he laughs, "You're only 12, you're love life's bound to suck. You're much too young to be dating any boys anyway," he crosses his arms over his chest and smiles down at her. She rolls her eyes.

"You aren't my dad," she pauses, and gives him a look. She knew she should be angry, but it just wasn't in her to be mad at him, he was only trying to help her, "but could you please continue?"

Toby picks up on the story as if nothing had happened.

"Nothing big happened after that, until about a month later when we went to Antarctica and of course Happy just HAD to get lost and I had to trudge my sorry butt out in the middle of blizzard because I was scared to death something would happen to her. I eventually found her half frozen though…" He left out the unneeded information to keep it G-rated, because if he didn't Paige would surely kill him.

"...and after that things still did-". Ralph cut him off before he could continue any further.

"But what about when Happy payed me to take care of you." He asked innocently, even though he knew he was anything but innocent.

Happy's face turned bright red, as Toby turned his head slowly to look at her. She could tell the gushing was about to come, it was inevitable. It was just what Toby did and that is exactly why she never told him about what really happened when she went off to Africa.

"Really. That's how you knew all my favorite stuff?" Toby pieced it all together eventually and he was beyond giddy.

Happy was glaring over at Ralph the whole time, just daring him to say another word. Sage snickered at the look she was giving him while Toby chanted "you loved me. I knew it" over and over about ten times.

"And guess what she said after she got back," Ralph smirked, turning his attention towards Toby. He was getting too cocky for his own good. He probably got that from being around Toby too much.

Toby's eager face encouraged him to continue, unlike the steam pouring out of Happy's ears.

"I asked her why she had me do all that, because I thought she hated you since you guys fought all the time," Happy was about ready to pounce on him like a cat, but Toby held his arm out in front of her to prevent her from making a move on the young boy.

"And she said 'the truth is, I'm falling for the guy', and she sat by that chair until you pretty much woke up."

Toby's teasing grin was present as he turned to look at Happy again. Her face was red, either from anger or embarrassment, he couldn't tell which at this point.

"You're going to hear about this when we get home," Toby whispered suggestively in her ear, with an all too knowing tone. Happy shivered momentarily before back-slapping him in the stomach for saying something like that in front of the kids. Toby pouted and rubbed at his stomach where Happy slapped him and continued with the story.

"So, next. Happy seemed to be a bit more open towards me afterwards ... and then Walt almost totally busted us by knocking on my door. If he would have seen Happy, we both would have been dead for sure," Toby makes the whole event like a soap opera. Sage was pretty sure that if people were eavesdropping they would think it was some wild love story.

"Things turned out alright though. Even after Doc here spilled the beans," Happy added, jutting her thumb at Toby's form.

"After the team knew, was all the crazy stuff over?" Sage asked.

Toby and Happy look at each other and almost laughed.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure Happy thought about murdering me like a bajillion times," Toby laughed, while Happy simply nodded her head in agreement.

"I was pretty close to doing it too," she joked.

"AAAND," Toby continued, giving Happy a pointed look before continuing, " after I wrote, practiced and performed a proposal song and speech she told me she couldn't marry me because she was already married to someone else," Toby rubbed the back of his neck.

Sage's eyes widened and looked over at Happy for confirmation. Happy nodded and shook her head with pursed lips.

"Yep. I regret not telling him."

"It took me about 3 months to even let her explain without yelling at her, or drinking until the sun rose the next morning. That part of our life was not the greatest," Toby admitted.

"How?" Is all Sage could say. How are they still together? How is Happy married? How did they fix it? How is Toby not stressed over the fact that his girlfriend is married? There was a lot of 'how's' that she wanted answered.

"After everything was worked out, we tracked down her husband, which took a long time. We found him about the time you showed up, and we haven't had the chance to confront him," Toby answered with a shrug of his shoulders. He leaned closer to them and pretended to whisper the last part. "To be honest the guy kinda scares me." Both Ralph and Sage laugh.

"Was our love story entertaining enough for you?" Happy joked.

"Apparently, because we're almost to the ride and I didn't even notice the time go by," Ralph said excitedly.

The others peered around the corner, and sure enough, there was the end of the line. About 5 more minutes until they could ride the coaster.

One ride later, the four geniuses stumbled out of the carts they were situated in for the past exhilarating 10 minutes and into the crowd of people also exiting. Sage and Happy's hair were a mess. Frizz, knots, and curls everywhere. Even with Happy's hair pulled back into a high ponytail it still managed to get all knotted up and in her face during the ride.

"You scream like a girl," Happy teased Toby, following the rest of the passengers through the exit gates.

"So do you, I expected your scream to be different," Toby shot right back with a bark of laughter.

"I didn't scream," she snapped at him, hands on her hips.

Sage and Ralph looked at her, they didn't have to say a word to get the message across. She screamed like a little girl, they all did..

"I didn't," she insisted.

"Ok, whatever you say lovebug," Toby said, putting his hands up and then draping one over her shoulders as they continued walking.

"Let's go get something to eat. I'm starved," Ralph said, running off with Sage to find someplace that selled food.

"That was amazing," Sage sighed, hyped up on sweets as they walked through the the deserted parking lot, back to the car. They had stayed at DisneyLand until they were kicked out. About an hour past the official closing time.

"It sure was. What was your favorite ride?" Toby asked, carrying the soaked backpack and the various nicknacks they had collected throughout the day.

"I loved Space Mountain," Ralph grinned, pulling off another chunk of his cotton candy and placing it in his mouth..

"Ditto," Happy smirked, tearing off a piece for herself.

"I liked all the rides, especially the big roller coasters," Sage said, admiring the rides from a distance. They didn't look as awesome in the parking lot as they did up close.

"I liked the fireworks at the very end," Toby said, unlocking his car, "it reminded me of something special." He shot a look at Happy as he opened the car door for the kids to slide in.

"Yeah, those were so cool," Ralph says. "They reminded me of the ones you made for me, so I could show Sloan on Valentine's Day. Is that what you're talking about?" Before Toby could answer, Sage spoke up from beside him.

"Who's Sloan?" She asks, climbing into the backseat of the car after Ralph.

"She's knew to the school, you would like her," Ralph says, buckling his seatbelt.

It was 1:30 in the morning and 3 of the 4 geniuses in the car were asleep. Happy was awake, driving home, even though she was absolutely exhausted just like her passengers. Toby had tried to stay up as long as he could to keep her company, but he failed miserably and passed out after about 10 minutes. She made it home though, around 2:00 and had the great task of waking everyone up and helping them up the stairs.

"One foot in front of the other dipstick," Happy said, getting irritated after the 3rd time Toby had fallen or stumbled up the stairs and almost smashed his face in.

"I'm trying, I'm just so tired," Toby whined, picking himself up after his last fall.

Ralph and Sage made it up the stairs safely, and waited for Happy and Toby to come up behind them and unlock the door so they could go back to sleep.

Once the door was unlocked, everyone dropped their things by the door, and walked like zombies to their beds. Too exhausted to speak, laugh, see, or stay up any longer. Today was amazing but absolutely tiring.


	14. Not All Wounds Are Visible

Toby's phone blasts the obnoxious jingle, breaking Toby out of his restful sleep with a loud groan. The song continues to play while he yawns real big and stretches his arms, and by that time Happy is already starting to grumble under her breath.

Toby blinks a few times, in an attempt to remove the haziness from his eyes. He grabs for his phone and unplugs it, gazing at the bright screen until he can read the caller ID. It was Paige. He grunted and answered the call, then pressed the phone to his ear.

"What do you want?" he groaned, "It's far too early to awake the people doing you and your new hunk a favor."

"Toby," Paige sighs, "it's 11 in the morning, you guys should be up by now."

Toby's eyes snap open and he sits up in the bed, letting the warm sheets fall to his lap. He glances over at the alarm clock and sure enough, it was past 11. He looks down at Happy sleeping beside him.

"Uh, yeah. I know that, I was just playing with ya," he and Paige both new it was a flat out lie, but he jumps out of bed anyway and rushes to pull on a dirty t-shirt. She was about to reply, but he beat her to it.

"Let me get you Ralph, you probably want to talk to him," Toby places a hand on the phone in an attempt to muffle what Paige hears.

"Ralph! Your mother is on the phone, come distract her."

Toby heard a loud groan followed by a series of thumps. Ralph wasn't all that awake either it seemed. While Ralph was making his way to the room Toby turned around to see Happy yawning, glaring at him with an angry frown. He probably should have thought twice before yelling across the small apartment.

Eventually ralph stumbled into the room, with bleary eyes and ruffled hair. So when Toby threw the phone at him, he nearly dropped it. Fumbling for a couple seconds before catching it safely in his hands then pressing it to his ear after a quick yawn. Happy simply sits on the bed and continues to rub at her eyes, while Toby frantically runs around the room trying to find a clean pair of jeans, but failing miserably.

After a couple minutes, Ralph covered the phone much like Toby did before and looked up at Toby, dressing himself in the clothes from a few days before.

"My mom wants to have lunch with us," Ralph whispers.

Toby holds back the string of curses in the back of his throat and throws his head back and groans in annoyance before yelling for Sage.

"Sage! Get up!" He yells, pulling his pants back off, letting them fall around his ankles, and stepping out of them while trying not to trip in his rush to get to the bathroom. He grabs a towel, before running to the bathroom to take a shower after succeeding to untangle himself from his jeans.

After he had closed the door and turned on the water, Sage ran into the room, wide awake and ready for whatever was about to be thrown at her. She glances around in confusion. Ralph was still talking on the phone to his mother, trying to occupy her with as much small talk as he could muster, and Happy was up and pulling at the curtains to let the bright light of the late morning stream into the dull room. Toby yelled at them from the bathroom, speaking loud enough to be heard over the stream of running water.

"Everybody get things ready for a shower for when I get out! We need to meet up with Paige and Walt for lunch." That is when Happy began to understand what the big ruckus was about. If Paige ever found out why all four of them were sound asleep when it was nearly noon, she would surely kill both Toby and Happy. She was definitely a very overprotective momma bear.

"Ralph. Go pack up your things, just in case your mom wants you home right away," Happy directs, pushing the two out of the room. "Sage, help him, and then get your clothes together for a shower".

Ralph smoothly ended the conversation with his mother, while both young geniuses ran to the living room to clean up their things from that morning and the trinkets they brought home the night before. Happy was cleaning up the bedroom as best she could before Toby got out. It was really a mess, especially after his rampage.

For the first time in forever Toby actually took a quick shower. He stumbled out, clutching the towel around his waist, with wet hair clinging to his forehead and the droplets running down his cheeks. He wandered over to the dresser to fish out some clean clothes, but Happy stopped him.

"I knew you would forget your clothes, Doofus," she laughed, shoving a bundle of clothes into his chest.

"Thanks Hap," he said, dropping the towel and getting dressed as quickly as he could so the kids could get a shower too.

"Come on! One of you needs to get in the shower!" Toby yelled, buttoning his pants, as he swung open the door.

Sage rushed in, towel and clothes in hand. She sprinted into the bathroom, while Toby tried his best to dry his hair with the moist towel.

"Ralph, where and when are we meeting your mother?" Happy yells, still conveniently dressed in her pajamas as she steps out of the bedroom.

"At Kovelskys in less than about 30 minutes," Ralph answered, folding the last blanket from the night before.

"Crap," she muttered. They were in for a very busy morning.

After 35 minutes of running, showering, dressing and brushing, the four geniuses were well acquainted with the word 'struggle'. Eventually they finished and they all piled in the car with damp hair and a bad attempt at matching clothes. Happy was driving, while Toby talked to Paige on the phone, trying his best to smoothly explain their tardiness for the lunch date and also why they were all still asleep when she called. After a well thought out explanation, Toby hung up the phone and turned to speak to the two sitting in the backseat.

"Listen up. We do not speak about going to DisneyLand, or staying up past midnight two nights in a row," Toby lectured, "cause me and Happy do enjoy the idea of being alive believe it or not."

They all nodded their agreement and promised to keep their mouths shut.

When they reached Kovelsky's, Paige, Walter and Cabe were waiting patiently at a booth. Cabe had had to pick up the couple from the airport, since neither Happy nor Toby were answering the phones until 11:00 that morning. They entered the diner, and Ralph ran up to his mother to give her a hug. She smiled and squeezed him back before noticing his still damp hair atop his head.

"Why is your hair wet?" she asked him, looking up to notice that Sage and Happy had damp ponytails of their own.

"You know what, never mind. I missed you so much," she said, hugging him again.

After Paige finished her greetings, they sat down for lunch, or brunch. Whichever they preferred to call it. After ordering, the questions started flying in. "So what'd you do this weekend? Did you have fun? Did you go to bed on time? How much junk food did you eat?" Paige questioned over a very short period of time.

"Calm down with the interrogation kid. I'm sure he had fun, especially with those two crackheads as company," Cabe gestured to Toby and Happy sitting across from them then taking a short sip of his soda.

"But why didn't you answer your phones yesterday? I called to do the 12 hour check up on Sage and neither of you answered," He asked, looking over at Toby with a raised brow.

"My phone was dead," Happy fibbed, with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Mine wasn't on. I still owe a few bookies," he lied.

Happy kicked him under the table and let out a small yelp in response.

"They're old debts Happy, I still have to pay 'em," he winked, looking over at her with a smile.

"I still don't want you talking about it," she muttered.

"Don't worry, I'm fine sugarplum," he whispered back, throwing an arm around her shoulders in response, and to everyone's surprise she didn't shrug him off like she usually did. Toby didn't mind at all, he was almost gleeful. The others noticed, but then reverted their attention back to the conversation.

"What about you Ralph? I called you too," Cabe asked, making all four stiffen up and glance over at Ralph.

"I..uh. Left it at the house," he stumbled over the words. He was a terrible liar, but the other three relaxed nonetheless. That was before Cabe spoke again.

"If you left it at the house, then where were you?" Thankfully, Toby is there to swoop in and save them all from a conversation that would have surely led to a disaster.

"Cabe. You tell Paige to quit the interrogation, then you start interrogating us. You hypocrite," Toby joked, in an attempt to divert his attention to something else.

"You're right. Sorry. Continue."

So Paige continued talking about random things they experienced while on their weekend trip to San Diego. She seemed a bit hyper with the way she was clinging to Walter and telling story after story so quickly you couldn't tell which story was ending and which was beginning.

"What'd you do to her Walt? She seems either high or on a sugar rush," Toby commented.

Walter seemed just as confused as the rest of them. He didn't know what was wrong with Paige either, she was perfectly normal on the plane.

"I don't know. I guess she's just excited to be back."

Paige turned to look at him and grinned, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"I love you" she cooed, and Walter's face turned bright red.

"Oooh, PDA. Something had to have happened. Perhaps, something special," Toby teased with a knowing grin.

Cabe sat back and watched everything play out without saying a word as Walter attempted to splutter out a response to Toby's inappropriate statement. As Toby continued his relentless teasing, Walter glared at him, which didn't deter Toby, who simply continued until Happy pinched him on the thigh. He quit after that.

"Sorry guys. I'm just really happy. We had so much fun the past day and a half," Paige said, wrapping her own arm around Walter's.

Before anyone could continue, their food came out and they talked about Walter and Paige's trip some more. The four tried their best to avoid any conversations relating to their weekend, and they had to tell a few more white lies to avoid any suspicions.

"Cabe can drive you two to our apartment to get your car and Ralph's stuff," Happy suggested, after they all finished eating and were getting ready to head out.

Ralph decided to ride with his mom and Walter, because he hadn't seen them in a few days, leaving Sage with Happy and Toby, but she didn't mind all that much.

"So Sage, what do you want to do with the rest of the weekend?" Toby asked, maneuvering in the front seat so he was looking at her.

"I don't know. I don't think I can go back to sleep though...even if I did want to take a nap," she answered.

"Well we need to do something special, because this is probably going to be your last weekend with us," he said, turning back to the front.

Sage's eyes widened as she slowly processed what he just said, she was having trouble trying to find an alternate meaning to his statement. Her breath hitched and she felt a wave of panic engulf her, there was no way she could go back to the way things were before, not after all the love and warmth she's felt while being with them. It's the first time she's been actually happy in awhile. Her eyes stung as she locked them shut, gritting her teeth and feeling as her chest tightens. Through the rearview mirror Happy could see what was happening in the backseat. Definitely not good.

"Are you saying I can't stay with you guys anymore? I'm sorry for whatever I did, I won't do it again, I promise." Her voice was strained as she forced out the words. Her tears were burning as they fell down her cheeks and her throat tightened and it was getting harder and harder to breathe at every passing second. She pulled her knees to her chest and pressed her face into them. She knew she hadn't told them anything they wanted yet, but she thought she would have a little more time. She trusted them, more than she's trusted anybody before.

"I'm sorry. I really am!" She sobbed, as a muffled growl emitted from the back of her throat. She couldn't control her thoughts, she couldn't hear, or see anything around her. The tears obscured her sight and the voices chanting in her head overpowered any words anyone might have said. She only had these feelings after a nightmare, but this time it was a reality and she couldn't control her senses any longer. Flashes of pain and broken trust flew through her thoughts and overtook her entire being.

Toby panicked. He couldn't do anything from his seat and he stretched as far as he could to reach Sage. Her whole body was shaking wildly and Toby tried his best to comfort her from the passenger seat. Happy took a sharp turn, grunting in effort, trying to get home as quickly as she could. She didn't like seeing Sage the way she was in that moment.

"I'll tell you whatever you want. Just don't hurt me please, don't take me away," she sobbed, and Toby couldn't help but notice she wasn't speaking about the present situation she was reliving memories that she has yet to share with them. He kept constant contact with he the entire time, trying to comfort her with words, even though he knew she couldn't understand what he was saying.

That is how both Toby and Paige ended up in the backseat, trying to comfort Sage and calm her down just enough so she could understand what they were saying.

As soon as Happy pulled into the parking lot, she threw the car in park and jumped out of the car as Toby did the same. He climbed into the backseat and wrapped himself around Sage, while Happy waited for Cabe's black SUV to pull up. She grabbed Paige forcefully and dragged her over to the backseat. If anyone could fix the situation it would probably be Paige. She was definitely confused with the way Happy was muttering to herself, but once she got a look at the situation she immediately understood and jumped into action. She climbed in the car and hugged the small girl close to her. Toby had been able to calm her down to an extent. She was still shaking, but most of the tears had stopped.

She still had trouble understanding what was going on around her. She could feel the warm arms wrapped around her and holding her close, it was something that helped her pull herself back to reality. Eventually, the muffled sounds and voices being murmured in her ear formed into words and sentences she could understand. The fear of being left alone again was too much for her to take in all in one moment. She needed time to calm down, she needed an anchor.

"It's okay, we aren't going to leave you alone again, I promise, okay." Paige chanted, until she knew Sage could understand what she was saying. Rubbing her back in small circles, before pulling her back by the shoulders and looking her in her puffy red eyes. She was beginning to calm down. Sage nodded and hugged Paige one last time before letting go. She still wasn't used to a lot of affection, although she's craved it ever since the first dose she received.

"Happy? could you get Ralph's stuff, while I stay here with Sage for a little while longer?" Paige asked Happy, who was standing guard by the door and keeping watch of the situation. She nodded and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. She came back out with her hands full of Ralph's things.

At some point Toby had exited the vehicle after realizing Paige had everything under control. He was explaining to the other three what had happened, and what was going on currently. He didn't look all too joyful while speaking either.

Walter looked disturbed, but not extremely saddened, he still hadn't got all that close to the young girl.

Cabe looked sympathetic, contemplating on what to do when she actually did speak. Judging by what happened today, things will be more difficult than he anticipated. They couldn't just keep her with them while her real family was expecting her, if she had one.

Ralph, on the other hand, looked like he was on the verge of crying himself. Walter seemed to notice his discomfort, so he rested an arm around the young boys shoulders and pulled him closer to his side, trying his best to comfort him like he's seen Paige do to others a million times.

Happy dumped Ralph's bags into Paige's backseat, then went to join the others gathered around Cabe's parked SUV.

"C-can I talk to her before we go?" Ralph asked, looking up at Walter and then at Toby for approval. Both men nodded their head and Toby led him to the car, giving Paige enough time to climb out before Ralph got in.

The two adults walked the short way back to the group while Ralph talked to Sage in the backseat.

The first thing he did was pull her into a tight hug. Something he wasn't all that used to, but he did it anyway because it just felt like the right thing to do in that moment.

"I promise, that no matter what the others do or say, I will always be there for you. Just like when you were always there for me," he mumbled, but Sage understood every word. She didn't cry, which was a good start. She simply gripped the back of his t-shirt and pressed her face into his shoulder. He rested his chin on her shoulder and hugged her tighter as well.

"I know one thing for sure about both Toby and Happy. They don't give up on the ones they care about, and they both care about you, a lot. Even I can see it. You need to trust that they can help you, that we can help you. We would never do anything to hurt you, ever. You've only been here for a few days and we all love you, you're one of us now." Ralph was opening up and talking about his feelings for the first time in a long time, but Sage needed to hear the truth, even if it was uncomfortable for him.

"I'm just afraid of being betrayed again. I used to hang around criminals a whole lot, especially con-artists. They all had one thing in common, they weren't afraid to hurt other people to get what they wanted. They con people and lie to them, make them think they care about them, that they will never leave them, but as soon as they get what they want it's all over. I know that's not how Scorpion is, but I guess I'm still in that mindset and I don't fully trust them with my secrets yet." Sage opened up to Ralph, explaining her reasons for being so hesitant about giving the team the information they need. "I want to trust them, I just need a little more time."

"Don't force it. Tell Toby when you're ready, when you trust that it's not all just an act," Ralph said, pulling away and looking her in the eye.

Sage nodded and smiled again, she gave Ralph another quick hug and a kiss in the cheek before he got out of the car. He had helped her a lot.

"Thankyou," she whispered in his ear.

"Your welcome" he said, sliding out of the backseat with a smile on his face.

"You feeling better?" Toby asked for the hundredth time in the past 15 minutes. Her breakdown shook him up quite a bit, more than it should have.

When he saw her react like that because of something he said and because of her fear, he couldn't help but feel extremely guilty and helpless. He wanted so bad to help her, fix it, and take all the fear away, just like he did with Happy. She just wouldn't let him, she wasn't telling him enough. He needed more information to help her cope with whatever it was that she needed to cope with. It was all a mystery to him and the more he discovered about her, the more he could see the similarities between her and Happy.

So he was going to do what he did with Happy. Leave her alone, let her walk at her own pace, until she trusts him enough to help. He felt that they were getting closer, and that she trusts him more and more each day. They were making good progress and it had only been about 5 days or so.

"Yes I'm fine Toby," Sage smiled, curling up under a blanket on the couch and rolling her eyes.

He cleared his throat before speaking then sat down next to her on the couch.

"About what I said earlier. I meant that we don't usually have weekends with just us at the house. We're usually at the garage, or working a case, so we wanted to make sure you enjoyed this weekend. It was a poor choice of words, I know." When he finished Sage looked over at him.

"I'm sorry. I probably scared your guys a whole lot because of my dumb misunderstanding."

"Hey, don't apologize. It's my fault, I should have explained myself, or at least worded it differently," Toby said, patting her on the head with an apologetic smile.

"You're darn right it's your fault," Happy butted in, walking out of their bedroom, dressed in a tank top and sweatpants. Toby rolled his eyes over at Happy dramatically and Happy laughed. She plopped down next to him and he grinned at her.

"Anyways. We are going to enjoy this once in forever weekend," Happy said, grabbing the controllers from Friday night and handing them out to the other two resting on the couch.

While she set up the game, Toby hopped up to make some popcorn to accompany their eventful game playing.

"Um, Happy?" Sage said timidly after Happy sat back down. Happy looked over at the young girl after hearing her name, "Do you guys promise not to forget about me when I tell you my secret?"

Happy wasn't expecting a question like that, but by some odd miracle, she knew exactly how to respond.

"Of course. And we'll make sure that we still see each other too if it comes to that, but who knows what'll happen" Happy smiled at her and Sage smiled back. "Is that what you're worried about?" Happy asked.

Sage nodded. "I guess I am just scared of being left behind again. I don't want to think that the only reason you guys have me around is so you can get to that information. I told myself not to get attached to you guys, and I did the exact opposite."

Happy understood exactly how she felt. She leaned back into the couch and smiled over at her.

"Let me tell you a story," Happy started, "when I was a little girl I was in the foster system and I never got the opportunity to have a real family like other kids had. So, when I grew up, I was always scared to show my emotion and get attached to someone, because I was so used to being let down throughout my life and I didn't want to go through that again. So I lived the majority of my life alone and it was depressing. Until I met a certain doofus over there," Happy smiled and gestured over to Toby struggling with the popcorn bag, "he changed my way of thinking. I was always so sure that he was in it for the thrill of the chase, and it was probably some silly game he played when he was bored. I just couldn't grasp that someone could actually love me for me and he just wouldn't stop reminding me how much he cared. So little by little I realized that having a family and having someone there for you isn't unrealistic for people like us. Toby cared about me and he cares about you too kid, you just have to give him time to worm his way into your heart. I know he's annoying, but he'll be there for you whenever you need him, me too. Along with the rest of the team. It's worth it in the end." Happy paused and noticed Sage staring at her with wide eyes, then she remembered that one thing Toby had told her, the motto she tried her best to live by to this day.

"LIving your life scared to connect with anyone isn't any way to live. You may not trust us now, but I'm sure you will eventually." Sage smiled up at her.

"Thank you Happy," she said, giving her a hug. Surprising Happy just a bit, but she hugged her back. After their conversation they talked about nothing for awhile, before they started wondering how long it could possibly take a genius to pop up a bag of popcorn.

Happy turned her head to follow Sage's gaze and smiled.

"Hey numbnuts, if you don't hurry we're going to start without you" Happy yelled at him.

He grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl and stuffed it in his mouth, before running into the living room with the big bowl of popcorn and setting it on the coffee table.

"Lebs du dis" he said through a mouthful of popcorn. Grabbing his controller as Happy and Sage laughed at him, but doing the same.


	15. Some Things We Can't Forget

It had only been a week and the team was already working another case in Canada, tracking down some dangerous smugglers. Of all places. They recognized the names when they received the case files, the group had apparently been mentioned in Sage's book. There wasn't much information on them and Sage claimed she hadn't known much either, so they had to go back to the basics. They spent a few hours at the garage finding their whereabouts and what they could have been planning. Sage was able to pick out certain information she had overheard in the past, reviving old memories and resulting in useful information for the team to use.

They packed their bags to get ready for the trip but not before giving the two younger geniuses strict instruction to listen to their sitter. They headed out the next morning and weren't scheduled to get back until later the next day, after the kids got out of school.

They had finished the case, but not without a few minor hiccups leading to someone on the team facing what seemed to be an inevitable death. Like always though, Team Scorpion was able to swoop in and do the impossible.

Toby had gone in undercover as a smuggler, interested in transporting a few drugs and weapons to the states. One thing led to another and his cover was blown, which eventually resulted in him being held at gunpoint. Thankfully Cabe swooped in at the last minute with their backup and knocked the guy out before he could blow off Toby's head.

Now the team was heading home, and both Sage and Ralph were extremely bored with waiting for them to return. The team hadn't even put them on comms while they were gone and they hadn't bothered to keep in contact either. They didn't know when they were going to be back or if they were even okay. It was all just a big guessing game for the two of them.

Sage was laying upside down on the couch with her head hanging off the cushion and her feet kicked up over the headrest. She had forgot her sketchbook at the apartment, and Toby didn't leave a spare key for her to use. So there was almost nothing she could do at the moment to catch her interests.

"I'm so bored," Sage groaned loudly.

"Yep, me too," Ralph agreed, sitting upright beside her. Eating the chips and pretzels the team had bought for them to snack on after school, "but think about it. After a couple more weeks of school, we get the summer off."

"Yes! I can't wait, I hate school. Do you think the team will take us on one of the cases this summer?" Sage asked, looking over at him.

"It depends," he shrugs, pushing another chip into his mouth.

"On what?" Sage's eyebrows lower in curiosity.

"I don't know, I just know it depends on something. There's always some excuse for why I can't go, and I never get to go with them. It's been two years," Ralph complained, "and whenever I ask Walter or my mom if I can help on the next case, they always say 'it depends', but I have yet to figure out what the depending factor is".

"Well they better let me help with my case. Cause I'm gonna be real upset if they don't," Sage grunts, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance.

"What do you mean?" Ralph asked cocking his head at her, as Sage sat back upright to look at him.

"I'm ready to tell you guys what happened to me, not all at once though. I'll probably just tell Toby and let him explain it to everyone else," she smiled at him when she saw his giddy expression. Ralph was ecstatic. He jumped up off the couch and tackled Sage in a big hug.

"Yes! How about I beat your butt in some video games while we wait for the team to get back" Ralph suggests with a wide grin.

The corner of Sage's mouth quirked up into her competitive smirk and they both race to the loft, where Walter let Ralph set up some video games on his TV.

"I am absolutely exhausted!" Toby groaned, "Almost dying takes a lot out of ya." He threw his stuff onto his desk, and collapses into his chair. Throwing his head back and pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes and slumping down in his chair.

After two days of being in Canada, the team finally arrived back at the garage. Cabe had dropped them all off in the new van and was heading towards the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee for his ride home. He was exhausted as well. Sylvester sat on the couch and began reading one of his Super Fun Guy comics. Toby sorted through the mess on his desk after he finished with his obnoxious griping. Happy lazily tinkered with a project she had been working on before they left for Canada. Not bothering to get out any large or loud tools. Walter, in the other hand, headed straight back to work. Filling out the paperwork on the case they literally just got back from, although he usually did do things like that, so it wasn't very abnormal.

Paige pulled out her phone while the rest of the geniuses did their own thing, with a plan to call the babysitter she had hired to stay with Ralph and Sage while they were out on the case. Before she even had the chance to press call there was a triumphant cry that came from the loft. All heads in the room turned towards the stairs leading up to the second story.

"YES! I told you I'd win!" Sage cried.

"Sage?! Ralph?! Is that you?!" Toby calls from his desk.

After a couple of seconds and a few loud thumps accompanying two excited cries emitted from the loft. Soon Sage and Ralph were running down the stairs, nearly tripping over each other to reach the ground floor.

"You guys are back!" Ralph yelled excitedly, running up to his mother to give her a welcoming hug. Sage ran up to Toby's desk with a beaming smile. His area was closest, so she hopped up on his desk, letting her legs swing off the side.

"Where's your babysitter?" Paige questioned Ralph after he released his hold on her waist.

"We told her that the mall had a good deal on shoes, 75% off, and she just ran out the door." Ralph answered innocently, shrugging his shoulders while his mother's smile slowly faded. "She was kind of getting annoying."

Toby tried his best to hold back the laugh at the look on Paige's face, but Happy didn't even try. She burst out laughing from her desk at the other end of the garage. After Paige calmed down a little bit, Sage tugged on Toby's sleeve and he reverted his attention back to her. She was no longer beaming, her expression hardened and her jaw clenched as she gritted her teeth nervously. Something was wrong.

"Can we talk? In private?" She requested with a whisper. Toby nods his head while seriousness clouded his features. He helped her off the desk and he kept his grip on her small hand as he lead her to a more secluded area to talk. Happy had glanced in their direction when they disappeared around the corner, she knew something was going on, but she also knew that Toby could handle it. So she let them be.

When they were far enough from the crowd in the main area of the garage, Toby turned to face Sage with a saddened expression.

"Is everything okay?" he asks, his voice speaking just above a whisper.

"I'm...ready. I'm ready to tell you about me." She struggled to get the words out, it was going to be very difficult for her to talk about this, but she knew Toby wasn't one to judge too harshly. So she tried her best to steady her breathing and calm her nerves, striving to hold back the stinging tears before she even began her story.

Toby's eyes went wide and he led her towards a few chairs so they could sit comfortably for the duration of the conversation.

"I'm all ears," he said, taking a seat in the cushioned chair, waiting for her to begin.

Sage fiddled with the hem of the tank top she was wearing, and she tried her best to avoid Toby's gaze. Her bottom lip began to tremble, but as soon as she was aware she drew it between her teeth to cease its movement.

"The truth is, I don't know who I really am. I don't know my real name, age, or birthday. Who my parents are, where I came from, or how I got here" she paused and took a few easy breaths before continuing. "I woke up one day, in a dark alley. I was pretty beat up, there were long gashes and scars on my back, along with a few bruises along my ribcage and wrists. When I woke up I couldn't remember anything that had happened to me previously. I guessed my age to be around 4 or 5 at the time, it was pretty difficult to tell. So I got up, cried a little and took care of my injuries the best I could." Sage stopped for a brief moment to catch her breath again. She hasn't started crying yet.

"I didn't do too well on my own for the first couple days. I barely got enough to eat and I was very wary of anyone around me, because I was scared of what they might've done to me. I had never interacted with another human from what I could remember, so I didn't really know how. Eventually, a young couple found me sleeping on a bench at a park and they took me in, fed me, and gave me a place to sleep. They gave me the name Sage Reeves since I guess their last name was Reeves. They signed me up for school and taught me how to interact with other people to an extent, but I still wasn't very comfortable with the idea. I didn't know that I was a genius at the time, I just assumed that everyone knew the things I did, but I was proved wrong on my first day of school. The kids were extremely ignorant, so the school bumped me up a grade, which didn't do much help." Sage laughed at the thought and Toby smiled down at her.

"Eventually I found out their true intentions. Like I said before, I wasn't too good with interactions, so it was difficult for me to discern who was bad and who was good, and it turns out that they were bad, very bad. When they learned of my unique intelligence they didn't waste any time to attempt and sell me off to be a child slave. Apparently a smart child, who didn't seem to need any schooling was hard to come by." Sage shrugged her shoulders and wiped at the tears that hadn't yet fell.

"I overheard their conversation with the guy over the phone, and that night I just decided to disappear. I jumped right out the window. After that, at the young age of 5 or 6 I learned to stay in the shadows, to be sure that nobody ever learned about my situation. They were the first ones I ever trusted, and they betrayed me. I was a little kid who wasn't supposed to know any better and ever since then I had been reluctant to trust anyone else with my well-being. I had decided then that I was better off by myself. I still went to school and everything, I just made sure I didn't raise any suspicion. My friend Colby at the time was a foster kid, and he still is. Judging by all the terrible stories he would tell me at school, being one was not all that lovely. So I learned to avoid the authorities as well. If they were to ever find out, they would surely put me in the system. That's why I was so hesitant to share all of this in the first place," Sage says, looking up to meet Toby's eyes for the first time throughout the entire story. He didn't say anything, he simply nodded in understanding, encouraging her to continue. So she did.

"A year or so after that I was getting the hang of how to steal food and how to take advantage of the resources given to me. I apparently knew how to hack, so I was able to get money when I needed it," she looked up to see Toby eyeing her, "Don't ask me how! I just knew how to do it already, I wasn't very good, but I could still do the basics. I met Deanna around that time. She was like a mother to me, or at least what I believed a mother should be. She was a bounty hunter, she did the things that I do now, but without the codes and stuff. She taught me how to catch the bad guys, and I like to think of myself as her apprentice in training." She laughed and wiped at the tears that were now freely falling down her face.

"She taught me who the good Intel were, who I could trust and who I couldn't. They were all like this secret family of crooks, they knew everything about eachother, and if you payed them enough or gave them something they wanted they'd tell you all you needed to hear. At least some of them did." She paused again and wiped the tears, her expression hardening once again as she spoke about the following events.

"We were out on a simple job one day. It was May 17th, and I just turned 11 a few days prior, what I considered to be my birthday. The job was supposed to be safe, and that's why she took me with her. It was a simple confrontation, there wasn't supposed to be any weapons. He was supposed to be just a harmless, stupid, drug dealer. That's what he was too." Her eyes narrowed, her nose flared and the corners of her lips twitched up into an angered scowl.

"Tony, he was one of the leaks that Dee trusted, but he was apparently more loyal to his boss, than he was to her. He was there when we were poking around the place, and he killed her, right in front of me. Stabbed her 4 times in the stomach, and he got me once in the side," Sage lifted up her shirt partway to show the somewhat fresh scar across her side. "He told me that the only reason he was letting me live was because I was a harmless little twerp that couldn't accomplish anything if I tried. So he left me there on the ground, bleeding out onto the concrete. He left Deanna on the ground, right next to me. She was still alive, but she had trouble breathing. I knew she was going to die, but I still begged her to keep her eyes open, I didn't want her to leave me. I stayed there the whole night with her, until she finally did close her eyes. I don't think I had ever cried so hard in my life, it was one of the worst things that had ever happened," She stopped and her face clouded over with frustration.

"Tony never came back for me that night, and I never tried to turn in any information to the police about him. I was scared of what he could do to me if I tried. Now, I try in every possible way to prove that he was wrong about me, and that I can do something with my life to help others, and I have, I've accomplished a lot of things." She whispered the last part, as if she was trying to reassure herself and prove to herself that she was worth something.

"And that's why you've been doing all this dangerous stuff?" Toby asks softly when she doesn't say anything else.

Sage nods, clenching her fists..

"And I wanted to keep doing what Dee was doing. So she would be proud of me."

"I'm sure she was and would be proud of you no matter what. You're such a brave, and strong girl. Who wouldn't be proud?" Toby placed a hand on her cheek and wiped away a lone tear with the pad of his thumb. He kneeled in front of her.

"I just have a couple more questions before we go back to the team," he says softly.

"Are you still living on the streets, and using the same Intel Deanna used?" Sage nodded her head. "And how did you make create your fake ID that allows you to get into school and do other things?"

"The first couple I mentioned is how I got all my information. I'm guessing those weren't their real names, but that's what they used, and what everybody around them referred to them as. They made up all my information, about my history and lineage, so I could get into school so I could get smart and be sold off. I guess I just hurried along their plans. After I ran off I kept adding more info to my record, things needed to get into clubs or certain schools. I could only do so much, my specialty isn't computers, that's for sure."

Toby smiled, and stood from his spot on the ground, offering Sage a hand to stand as well. Her eyes were still a little puffy and red from crying, but the worst part was finally over. Before they went back, Sage hugged around the waist, pressing her face into his abdomen and letting her voice get muffled from his shirt, but he could still understand.

"I'm sorry for taking so long. I was just scared that you were like my first parents, playing nice so you could get something from me. Even if it was true, I didn't want to give you what you wanted, because I was afraid I would have to give up the best thing that's happened to me." She let go of him and walked quickly back to the main part of the garage, she needed some cool down time.

Toby stood there for a second, then walked around to a part of the garage adjacent to where they were previously talking. There, the whole team was gathered, all were either saddened or angry.

"Catch all that?"


	16. You are the Only Exception

"I didn't here everything. So a recap would be nice," Walter answers as his jaw tightened considerably. He wasn't all that keen on what he had just heard, he didn't like any bit that had happened to Sage and he would rather fix her problems sooner than later, but he also knew that he couldn't do much fixing. The things that Sage had already experienced during her short life was something she would probably never forget any time soon, but maybe he could help her get some closure on the matter.

The team had moved to the kitchen to sit around the table while they listen to Toby briefly go over the what Sage had explained to him. Ralph didn't hang around to listen to the terrible things Sage went through, he would rather be kept in the dark about the matter. He picks up a comic book sitting near Sylvester's desk and he walks over to the couch where Sage was lying, facing everyone with her knees curled up to her chest. Ralph sits down by her feet and scoots back so he's leaning into the cushions on the back of the couch.

"Do you want me to read you a bit of my comic?" He whispers. Quiet enough so the adults couldn't hear and loud enough so that his voice could be heard by Sage.

Sage looks over at him in response, the dried tear streaks were still visible on her cheeks, and her smile wasn't as bright as it was before. Her eyes glistened from the tears that had yet to fall. He didn't like seeing her like that, he wanted Sage to be happy.

She nodded at his request and gave him a forced smile. She sits up slowly, almost as if it pained her to do so. She scooted closer to him so she could see the pictures, cuddling into the back of the couch, with her knees pressed between her chest and Ralph's crossed legs.

Ralph's voice was soft and soothing as he read from the printed page, while Sage followed along as he read. She felt her eyelids growing heavy, and little by little she began losing control over her actions. Keeping her head upright just seemed like too much unnecessary work at the time, so she leaned over and made herself comfortable against Ralph's shoulder, allowing her eyelids to flutter closed and breathing out a relaxed sigh as she was calmed by his steady voice.

It surprised Ralph just a bit with how close they are, he wasn't used to the physical contact. He decides to just go along with the moment and continues reading, hoping that Sage was tired enough to not catch the slight tremble in his voice, or hear the beat of his heart getting faster. This feeling he was feeling in his chest. When his heart fluttered just a bit when Sage snaked her arm around his and hugged it close to her. He enjoyed being her rock, he wanted to be there for her, through the thick and thin. It was a foreign feeling to him. Sure he had liked other girls at school, and he had liked Sloan for quite awhile, but he had lost interest in each of them after a while. They no longer spiked his interest, they became boring after awhile. This feeling he had for Sage was completely different, but she was his friend, and only his friend. Nothing more.

The whole team was gathered in the kitchen. Sage and Ralph were in the main room resting on the couch, sound asleep. Ralph had an open comic book laying in his lap and Sage was snuggled up in a ball against his side. Ralph had fallen asleep shortly after Sage, despite his effort to stay awake. He had busied himself with a comic, until he just couldn't stay awake any longer.

"They are so cute together, aren't they," Paige beamed. She was always a sucker for young love, despite the disappointment she felt when she realized that she wasn't going to be the only special woman in his life for much longer.

"Yeah, that's great, but we need to find the best way to help Sage," Walter says, ignoring the comment of the two young geniuses on the couch. He was desperate to fix this problem, because at the moment it was the most important thing that they should be concentrated on.

"What do you think Toby?" Sylvester asked. Toby hadn't heard him, he was mindlessly staring at Ralph and Sage on the couch, he didn't seem to notice that everyone's attention was focused on him.

"Looks like we have a new mighty love oak forming." He grinned, looking over his shoulder at Sylvester.

Paige nodded her head, Cabe grinned, and Walter's lips quirked up into a half smile. Happy was extremely confused, and Sylvester looked at the two on the couch and laughed. "Toby, they're only 11."

"So? It's just a small love oak this time," Toby smirked, tossing his head to shoot Happy a lopsided grin.

"Ok, is this an inside joke I'm not part of, because I'm extremely confused," Happy said, crossing her arms and knitting her eyebrows in confusion.

Toby was sitting in one of the chairs situated at the table and Happy was standing close to the chair. He swiftly reaches out to wrap an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, and as a result, she falls into his lap. She's surprised to say the least and it took a lot of control to not flail as she was falling towards him. Thankfully, he was a soft cushion to land on, but she still didn't like the unneeded PDA.

"Yeah, it's just how I described our complicated relationship a long time ago," he said, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. Happy splayed her hand on his face and pushed him away from her with an eye roll before pushing herself out of his lap. He may have just been imagining things, but he could've sworn he saw a small smile creeping out behind the frown.

"Ok, seriously, we need to get to work," Walter instructed, getting irritated with the side conversations that had nothing to do with the matter at hand.

"Always the party pooper Walt," Toby whined, before standing up to concentrate on what his part should be. Despite his words, he was ready to get started on the case as well. It had been a week since Sage's breakdown and ever since then he had been motivated to find any way to help her.

"I can't do much work while Sage is asleep, but she said she woke up one day when she was about 5 or 6. She didn't know who she was or where she came from. So, the best start would probably be finding out who she really is, who her parents are, who abused her, who almost sold her off, and then the guy that almost killed her. It won't be very likely to find the people who kidnapped her to begin with, since her memory was wiped, but there is a chance that we can trigger a few memories." Toby rattled off, "almost anything could trigger a memory, we just need to pick a place to start."

"So how do you suggest we do that?" Cabe asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Check hospital records, kidnappings that happened around the time she woke up or when she was much younger. See if any of the pictures bring back some memories. Who knows?" Toby says, listing things in his mind that could possibly help find out who Sage really is., or could possibly help her remember what really happened

Walter gets to work assigning jobs to each member. No one seemed to care that they just got back from an exhausting case, they were all willing to help.

"Paige, help Sylvester print out and find the kidnapping records, between 12 and 6 years ago. Cabe and I will take care of the hospital records. Happy, help Toby sort through all the records. Research and determine who is who and who could possibly be correlated to Sage. After everyone else is finished with their tasks they will give you two a hand."

Everyone set off to their assigned task, and eventually they had all the kidnappings tacked up on the board. Information and all.

"So...we have 134 kidnappings by a stranger in the state of California fitting close to Sage's age and gender. 28 were found dead, 50 were found and brought back home, and 8 are way too young. There are only 48 left that are within Sage's age range, and none of them look like her," Toby analyzed, with a frustrated grunt.

"There are 3 infants that were kidnapped. She could be one of them," Paige suggests, holding up three sheets with pictures of the young infants.

"Not likely, but we can look into them anyway," Toby nods, taking a seat at his computer. Walter and Sylvester worked on one of the infants each, and Happy stood behind Toby's chair, as he looked at the last one. After looking and finding nothing, they give up on the infants' whereabouts. It was most likely that they are dead, and their bodies were never found. Or they had escaped by some miracle.

"You know I love working on a case right after almost dying on another case," Toby said sarcastically, "but we're never going to get anywhere if we're all exhausted". Toby slumps in his chair as he speaks, placing a hand on his forehead. Now he had a headache from the stress and lack of sleep.

"The Doc's right. All of you go home and get a good night's rest. We'll meet here tomorrow and work some more," Cabe instructs.

"Alright then, over the next few days we can work on widening the range of our search. Instead of just California we will look into nearby states, eventually we should find some sort of lead," Walter says.

They all nod their agreement. Toby walks towards the couch to wake up the two exhausted children. Walter yawns so big he almost stumbles backwards into his chair. Paige and Happy head to their own desks to gather their personal belongings so they could head home. While Sylvester hurriedly takes the things he would need at home, so he could catch a ride with Cabe, instead of taking the bus.

By now Ralph had changed to a more comfortable position so his legs were tucked up underneath him, and Sage was comfortably snuggled against his chest, her head resting perfectly underneath his chin. Before Toby wakes them up he snaps a picture of them with his phone. Planning to send it to Paige, or to whoever wanted it later on. He shakes Ralph awake first.

"Hey bud, time to wake up. Be careful Sage is still asleep."

Ralph tries to move, but has a hard time with the heavy weight laying on his chest. He looks down to see Sage laying on him, with a soft smile on her face and her hand curled neatly under her chin. Toby smiles at his bewildered expression, then he shakes Sage awake gently. If he shook too hard, both he and Ralph would be severely injured. He sadly learned the wrong way a few days back.

Sage groaned before finally waking up. She blinks her eyes for a couple moments, allowing the haziness to fully escape her vision. She pushes herself up off of Ralph's chest without even noticing the position they were originally in. She was usually very aware of her surroundings, even while waking up. She must have been extremely tired from the day's events.

"Have a good nap?" Toby asks with a light smile, gathering the few things she had scattered around. They were coming back the next day, so they could pick up the rest later.

He helped Sage up off the couch, letting her lean against him as she found her balance. Her leg was still asleep, so standing wasn't something she was very capable of at the moment. Toby wrapped a secure arm around her shoulders and guided her to the car parked outside. Happy had all their things thrown in the back of the car, and she was sitting in the driver's seat, waiting patiently for them to get in the car.

Toby helped Sage into the backseat, then climbs into his usual seat beside Happy. It takes a few seconds to get the car to start running.

"This piece of crap car!" Happy yells, slamming her palms on the wheel in frustration, the way she usually does when she drives the rust bucket on wheels.

"That's it, we are buying a new freaking car," she grumbles, slamming her foot down on the accelerator and merging onto the freeway with little caution.

"Woah Happy. Sweetheart. You have passengers that value their lives in here. Not to mention the fact that I can't afford a new car," he says, holding on tightly to the door frame as Happy swerves out into the busy traffic.

"We're getting a big payday in a few days, and combined with my paycheck we can buy a new car," Happy grunts.

"Ok, ok, whatever you say. Just please slow down," Toby cries over the honking cars behind them. He isn't really in the mood to make witty or cheesy comments about the situation or Happy helping him buy a new car. He just wanted to live through one more night.

They reach the apartment in one piece thankfully, and Toby stumbles out of the car before Happy even has the chance to put it in park. He helps Sage climb out when the engine turns off, before grabbing all of their stuff from the backseat.

Happy and Sage were already climbing the steps to the apartment by the time he locked the car. Once inside, he sets all their things by the door. Hanging up his jacket and hat on the coat rack to at least try and have some organization.

Sage was just about to curl up on the couch and fall asleep again, but Toby calls out to her before she can reach the welcoming cushions.

"Before you get comfy, you need to get in the shower." He tosses a clean set of pajamas at her, along with a towel.

She groans, then reluctantly drags herself to the bathroom. She did need a shower. Today was a stressful day, telling Toby the only thing that had been a secret her whole life was definitely one of the most stressful things she's done in awhile. If Ralph wasn't there with her, she probably would've been in even worse shape afterwards.

Toby waited patiently on the couch for Sage to finish up her shower. She took fairly quick showers, compared to Toby or Happy's 30 minute showers, so he didn't have to wait very long. After the towel was thrown into the laundry bin by the door, and her dirty clothes along with it. She was in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. Toby sat on the edge of the bed, fixing her comforter so it fit snuggly against her sides. Wrapping her in a warm and comfy cocoon. When he finishes, she laughs and he smiles down at her.

"We're going to help you Sage," he promises. His mouth curved into a smile and he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"But how?" She asked sleepily.

"We're going to find out who you really are, and who you parents are. So you can be with them," he says, brushing some wet hair out of her face and behind her ear where it belonged.

"Really?" she smiled, still half asleep. Toby smiles back and nods his head.

"What do I call them? Should I call them by their first name, or should I call them mom and dad?" She wondered out loud, glancing at Toby for his input.

"Whatever makes you comfortable is what you should do. I'm sure they would understand if you only called them by their first names for a little while," he answered.

"But...Toby. What if I don't have any parents, or they don't want me?" Her eyebrows knitted and her forehead furrowed. She didn't like that thought, but Toby grabs her hand and squeezes it for reassurance.

"Well, we'll figure it out then, but for right now think positive. Okay? And I'm sure they would love to have you as a daughter. I know I would," he laughs, cupping her cheek with his hand and rubbing away the single tear that had fallen before standing from his seat on the bed. She nods and squeezes his hand resting on her cheek one last time before he lets go.

"Do you promise to visit me whenever you can...All of you guys?" she asked.

"Of course. I'd come visit even if you didn't want me to," he smiled and smoothed out her hair again. When he was at the doorframe he heard Sage call out to him, in something just above a whisper that he's not even sure she said it.

"I'm glad you found me."

By the time he turned around to face her, she was already sound asleep.

"I'm glad I found you too," he smiled, before closing the door.


	17. To the Moon and Back

"Mooom," Ralph whined, "It's the last day of school. It's not like we're doing anything but watch movies all day. Can I please stay home and help you guys with Sage's case. You guys are obviously getting nowhere" Ralph says, crossing his arms over his chest and letting his face fall into a pout.

Paige had set out the breakfast for the 3 of them that morning, she wanted to make a celebratory breakfast for Ralph's last day of elementary school.

"Come one Paige, we need all hands on deck today," Walter joined in, taking his usual seat at the kitchen table, dressed in his plaid pajama pants and his white undershirt.

Boxes were everywhere. Unlike Toby and Happy's apartment, the boxes were arranged in a much more organized fashion. The three of them were planning on moving to a slightly larger apartment since Walter moved in recently. It was also more affordable thanks to the several night and day cases they had been working on nonstop, hopefully they won't be bombarded with anything else too harsh anytime soon.

In response to Walter's statement, her mouth drops and her eyes widen in disbelief. She gains her composure and clears her throat, crossing her arms as she watches the two dig into the waffles she made for breakfast.

"Walter you're supposed to be on my side," Paige huffs in annoyance. Walter nodded his head slowly, unsure if he should continue with his full thought. "Yes, I am. Unless it is an illogical decision. Then no I am not," he took another bite of the waffles soaked in syrup.

Paige drops her head and sighs in defeat.

"Fine."

Ralph grinned and he thanked Walter with a smile and a quick hug before going to get dressed. Paige cleaned up their dishes and put them all in the sink, so they could be washed. Walter stood from his seat and slid his plate in with the others as she scrubbed at a dirty plate. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she continued washing the dishes, but this time with the smallest grin peeking out. He rested his chin on her shoulder and kissed her hair. Lately, he had been making an extra effort so Paige knew just how much she meant to him, he didn't want to lose her again.

Sometimes he can be a little oblivious to some things and Paige is extremely patient with him. Explaining to him, and helping him understand a few things along the way, he really appreciates it. More than he could express through words, so he tries to show it through action, and she seems to get the idea.

"After this case is over, what do you think will happen to Sage?" Walter mumbles.

"I don't know, why the sudden interest? You never seemed entirely invested before," Paige says, turning around in his arms to face him. Leaning her back onto the counter, with Walter pressed against her.

"It's not that. She just looks familiar, and I can't remember where I've seen her. Which is uncommon, since I have photographic memory. So...I guess I...try my best to avoid her. I also know that she would have had to go back to her real family at some point, and I didn't want to get attached like I did Ralph. I do want to help her though, and I do have her best interests at heart," Walter says, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before backing away and grabbing a dry towel as he went. He picked up the first dish and began the mundane task of drying the dish.

"Now that you mention it, she does seem somewhat familiar" Paige says, picking out another plate in the sink to wash.

Walter's phone rings soon after. He places the dish in the right cabinet and then picked up his phone from where he left it at the table. It was Cabe. Walter nods while he listens to Cabe talk through the phone.

"Ok. We'll be right there."

Sage was already up and back to drawing in her new sketchbook at her desk, with her new markers Sylvester had bought for her. She could hear the door to Toby and Happy's bedroom open along with two sets of loud, and hurried footsteps.

"Sage! Hurry up and get ready to go," Toby yells as he was exiting the room. It was only 7 in the morning and he was never this awake this early in the morning, at least not very often. He rarely woke up at the same time as Happy, and it was even more rare for him to wake up before her.

Sage calmly closed the notebook and placed in her backpack and zipped it up. She opened the door and suppressed a yawn that was threatening to escape. She blinked just a little bit and watched in amusement as the two adult jumped hurriedly around the apartment to get ready.

"What's the rush? I don't have to be at school until 8:00," Sage asked, after Toby exits their bedroom for the fourth time that morning.

Toby buttons his pants, and untangles himself from his shirt, while Happy's struggling with her boots and jacket.

"You aren't going to school today, but Cabe called in and said he had some info on your case, he said we needed to be there in 15. So we have to hurry," He grabbed his hat and jacket from where he had hung them the night before.

Sage readjusted her backpack and waited patiently at the door. In less than two minutes they were running down the three flights of stairs to get to the car. They scrambled in, and threw their things into the back next to Sage.

"But what about breakfast?" she asked, crawling into the backseat beside all their bags and jackets.

"Shoot! We'll find something at the garage," Happy sighs, turning the keys in the ignition and starting up the car on the first try.

The ride was once again bumpy, fast, and terrifying. Along with Happy complaining about the stupid car the whole way there of course, but they arrived at the garage in record time. When they pulled up, Paige, Walter, and Cabe's cars were all already parked outside.

"Look who finally showed up," Cabe grunts from his spot on the couch.

"We got up and came as soon as we got your call. It just takes a long time to get here because of the distance," Toby retorts, taking off his jacket and draping it over his desk chair. Cabe rolled his eyes, before tossing some case files and papers onto the table in the middle of the room.

"I talked to Homeland about this case you guys are working on. It may be a bit bigger than we first thought." Everyone grabbed for a manilla folder, while Sage and Ralph stood by the table waiting for a file to free up so they could take a look at it.

"In the past 10 years there has been 10 similar kidnappings that we know about. The police can never find the body, and no trace is ever left. A few years after each kidnapping, they get their first lead, teeth, blood and hair in an alleyway. The bodies are never found. If that doesn't sound like Sage's story, I don't know what does," Cabe finished his rant by pulling out another folder with pictures of the different locations the evidence was found.

"And this is just what they found. There's probably more than just these few kids." Toby grabs the new folder flips through the different pictures, while Happy watches over his shoulder.

"So we have a kidnapper, that's been kidnapping kids almost once a year?"

"Basically. Now that we have a lead," Cabe gestures at Sage, "we can probably find all these kids. Or at least get some answers."

"Wait. How come none of these kidnappings are recorded online?" Toby asked. "Yesterday when we pulled all the records of the kidnappings, none of these kids were on there."

Cabe shrugs his shoulders in response. "I don't know. Cooper said that their files weren't recorded on the computer, only on paper. She didn't say why."

"Maybe there's more to this then we thought," Walter said, "and it's possible that the government knows more about this then they are letting on. We need to figure this out quickly. Toby and Ralph, ask Sage some more questions to try and find some more in detailed information. Happy, I need you to find more information on these kids. Sylvester, find the pattern and connection between the kidnappings, while me and Paige will both keep looking into Sage's past, using this new information. Hopefully that will point us in the right direction" Walter ordered. Everyone shuffled to their places, and Cabe went back to Homeland to speak to Cooper. Toby, Ralph and Sage went to the kitchen, and everyone else went to their computers to start on their assignments.

"Before we start, I'm going to grab some breakfast," Toby said, walking towards the pantry and taking out a box of Fruity Moons. He got out the bowls, spoons, and milk too, and set them in places so him and Sage could eat while they talked. They were both very hungry.

"I remember those nightmares you've been having, and you say you can't remember what they were about. Do you think you could go into more detail about how you feel afterwards?" Toby asked, pouring his milk onto the cereal, then passing the carton over to Sage.

"All I know about the dreams, are that I have them every night and I can never remember what they're about. I'm always terrified when I wake up, but I don't usually scream or yell in my sleep...I don't think. At least not often." Sage said, continuing to eat her cereal.

"Do you know if the dreams are always the same, or if they're different each time?" Ralph spoke up.

"I-I think they're all different, because some scare me more than others and I have different reactions to each one. Sometimes I am angry, sometime I feel a throbbing pain on my back and most of the time I'm scared to death."

Ralph looks over at Toby. Toby stopped eating, and you could easily tell he was running things through his mind, trying to come up with some medical diagnosis or explanation as to why Sage was having these abnormal dreams. His elbows were set on the table, and he rested his chin on his folded hands.

"Could you recognize whoever is in the dream if you saw them?" He finally asked, while his brows drew together.

Sage thinks for awhile before nodding her head in confirmation.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Alright perfect! If we can identify who this guy is, there's a higher chance of finding out more about you and the children he or she has possibly taken," Toby jumps up and rushes over to Happy's space.

"Hap, if you have any suspicions on who the guy is, let me know. Then see if you can find his location, but don't tell Sage," Toby instructed.

Happy didn't quite understand Toby's reasoning, but she agreed anyway and continued looking through files of missing children and the suspects. Toby should really be the one doing that job, looking at the potential perps and determining who is and isn't a threat, judging by their stances and facial expressions. Sage worked best with him though, and she was most comfortable with speaking to him, and Sage at the moment was their main priority. So, Happy had to suck it up, and though she hated it, think like Toby. After awhile she finds someone worth looking into and seeks out Toby.

She finds him chatting with Sage and Ralph, his leg crossed and folded over his other as he leaned back comfortably in the chair. Happy makes eye contact and waves the paper around in front of her. Toby seems to get the hint and stands up, excusing himself from the table.

"I'll be right back guys".

He follows Happy to an empty part of the garage. "What'd you find?"

Happy turns around to face him, and hands him the paper in her hand.

"It took a while, but this guy seems to have a small connection with a few of the kids that were taken. His name is Reece, and he's apparently rich because of one piece of art. Which looks exactly like Sage's style," Happy says, handing him another picture, this one is a photograph of his drawing.

"You're right. It does look like her style. What else did you find on him?" He asked.

"I hacked his phone, and tracked where he's been and at what times he was there. He seems to have a very meticulous schedule. Everyday at noon he heads to Nye Jordan park and stays for about an hour. That's where you'd most likely find him," Happy says.

"Thanks sweetums. You're amazing," Toby says, giving her a quick peck on the cheek, before running back to the kitchen where Sage and Ralph are laughing to who knows what. That's when he remembers something, so he turned around to face Happy again, before he reached the table. Speaking loud enough so the two could hear, and giving her a hidden wink as he did so.

"Oh Happy, I was going to tell you something. The weirdos and I are going to stop by the park to let loose some energy," Toby says, pointing over his shoulder at the two.

"But we need to solve this case don't we?" Sage protests, "we need to find the guy that kidnapped me."

Toby turns his torso so he's able to talk with all three of them at once.

"We do. But we need to be at the top of our game so we can focus, and we can't do that if we're cooped up in here the whole time".

Sage still wasn't buying it. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in the chair, defiantly.

"Ok, how about this? While we're out, I'll stay on comms with the team, so if anything happens while we're gone, we'll know," Toby reasons, "and I think Nye Jordan has skateboard ramps and things. We can pick up your new skateboard from the house, and you can teach Ralph a few tricks."

Sage thinks about it while he was talking. When he mentioned skateboarding, her mind had made a decision.

"Sure. Let's go," Sage smiled brightly, standing up from her chair.

"Tell everyone where we're going and why once we leave," Toby tells Happy as Ralph and Sage wait by the door.

"I'll come with you guys. Just in case it's the guy," Happy says, trying to reach around him to grab her things.

Toby shakes his head and grabs her wrist.

"No, you need to help the team, plus I'll be on comms the whole time. Everything will be fine, I want engage with the guy at all. Just tell everyone to put their comms in when we leave." He follows the kids to the door. Calling to Paige to inform her of her sons soon to be whereabouts..

"Paige, I'm kidnapping your son for the next hour," Toby yells to Paige across the garage.

"Wrong use of words Toby...Don't do anything stupid," she says, staring pointedly at him.

"When have I ever done something stupid?" he jokes. Everyone in the garage looks up from what their doing and at stare at him, even Sage and Ralph.

"Ok, don't answer that. Let's go," he rushes the kids out the door and to the car, while they die of laughter. He didn't think it was very funny, but they apparently found it amusing.

After Toby left, Cabe arrived with no new information. Homeland was being stubborn like they usually were. When he finished explaining what the situation was, Happy spoke up.

"Everyone put comms in. Toby's going to the park, where one of the potential perps should be in about 30 minutes. He wants to see if Sage recognizes him."

"What?! He's bringing Ralph to a park where a potential kidnapper is," Paige yelled, "Why didn't you tell me?" She was nearly bolted out the door before Walter grabs her hand to help calm her down, and pull her back towards him.

"Put your comms in and yell at him yourself," Happy replies with a role of her eyes, tossing a comm to each team member. She handed Sylvester his, because he couldn't catch for the life of him.

Toby was sitting on a bench facing the skate park where Sage was riding around with a big grin on her face. Ralph was sitting next to him, studying Sage's form intently. He was determined to impress her. Sage expertly stood and rodes on the skateboard. Going up and down ramp after ramp, doing jumps and spins in the air with practiced ease.

"TOBY CURTIS!" Paige yelled over the comms. Toby nearly jumped two feet in the air, letting out an embarrassing squeak in surprise.

"Oh, Paige, it's just you," he relaxes a bit into the bench. Ralph looks over at him with his eyebrows raised.

"Ralph, why don't you go get Sage to teach you some skateboard stuff," Toby shooed him away from the bench.

Ralph thinks nothing of it and meets up with Sage as she glides down another ramp. She gladly steps off, giving him the opportunity to step on and try it out.

"Why did you bring my son to a place where you knew a kidnapper was going to be?" Paige accused, with a deathly calm voice.

"I couldn't really announce it in front of Sage, but I would have told you If she wasn't there," Toby said, watching as Ralph tried his best to balance on the skateboard. He almost falls off, but Sage catches him before he hits the hard cement.

"Why not? She needs to know he's a possibility if she wants to see if he's familiar," Paige says.

"No I couldn't. She needs to recognize him herself. If I told her, her mind could play tricks on her, because she wants to find the people that did this to her so badly. She is not clear on who this man is, or what he looks like. Right now, we are just trying to trigger a memory. Think of it as pseudocyesis." Toby answered.

"And what exactly is...that?" Paige asks.

"It's when a woman's body shows all symptoms of being pregnant, but she really isn't. It's caused by the intense desire to get pregnant. Her body may produce some pregnancy signs such as a swollen belly, enlarged breasts, and even the sensation of fetal movement. Then the brain misinterprets those signals as pregnancy, and triggers the release of hormones, which could possibly lead to actual pregnancy symptoms. Sage's mind could do the same thing. So she needs to recognize the man or woman herself, without me informing her. At least for now."

"Well, you're the shrink," Happy sighs.

"Exactly, I'm the shrink. I know what I'm doing. I got some pretty good ideas too you know," he huffed.

"Well, if my son gets kidnapped, you a-" Toby tunes Paige out momentarily, he stands to walk over to Ralph and Sage to see what they were up to. Ralph was back on the skateboard and Sage was helping him keep his balance.

"Try using math and science to measure and determine how much force to use and when to apply it," Sage suggests, holding tightly to his arm and taking a few steps to get the skateboard moving. Ralph nods and pushes off with his foot. He holds out his hands for balance as he pushes off a few more times and Sage lets go.

"Look I'm doing it," he yells excitedly as he pushes off again with his foot, doubling his speed.

He looks back at Sage and Toby with the biggest grin on his face, because of that, he wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him. Until he turned back around and he saw the edge of the concrete was getting closer, and he didn't know how to turn.

"Uh Sage?! How do I steer this thing?"

Sage mutters under her breath and runs to catch up with him.

"Lean to the left!" She cries, Ralph tries leaning to the left, but he's too unbalanced, so he wobbles then straightens himself back out.

"Bend your knees!" Sage runs closer.

"I am!" He shouted back

Ralph squeezes his eyes shut, and Toby takes off after Sage. Hoping that Ralph won't get hurt, so Paige won't kill him. Also because he doesn't want Ralph to get hurt of course, but an angry Paige was a much scarier thought. If he were to reach the edge at the speed he was going, he would flip over the short chain linked fence, and tumble down the steep hill beside it. Which would cause who knows how many injuries

Sage caught up to him just before he reached the edge, and grabbed his arm. She tugged him off the skateboard, which sent it rolling into the fence. They both landed with a thud on the hard ground, with the wind knocked out of them.

Toby runs up and helps them both off the ground.

"You kids okay?" he huffed. They both groan and nod.

"Okay. Next time be more careful alright."

"Aw, you were worried about us" Sage teased.

"You're darn right I was worried. So do me a favor and try not to give me a heart attack next time," he scolded, walking back to his bench.

"Wow Doc. Didn't think you had it in you to yell at those kids," Happy laughed over the comms.

"Crap. All of you heard that didn't you."


	18. There's No Fear In Fierce

Sage was definitely enjoying herself at the skatepark. She hadn't got the opportunity to be so active in a while. The last time she ever had a really good adrenaline thrill was when she first met the team after a very thrilling chase. Only she was the one being chased in that scenario. So, she really enjoyed being outside and feeling the piercing wind on her skin once again as she tears through it at a high speed.

"Hey guys watch this!" she yelled over her shoulder as she focused her concentration on the obstacle ahead of her.

"Be careful!" Toby called after her, he didn't want any repeats of earlier. Both he and Ralph sat and watched from the bench as she got closer and close to the large ramp.

She did all the math quickly, whispering the calculation to herself as more of a reassurance than anything else. It wasn't that big of a risk, but it was definitely something someone shouldn't attempt to do after only their second time skateboarding. Most would consider it more of an expert attempt rather than a beginner. It was by far the largest ramp in the park, and her plan was to perform a simple flip after coming over the edge of the slick concrete, nothing much. So many calculations with angles, gravity, and momentum was involved to perform it properly and without injuring herself.

A few yards from the skating park were 4 teenage boys, with their boards and helmets tucked under their were just in time to see Sage go for the large jump, but instead of leaving her be they decide to interrupt.

"Hey! What's a little girl doing on a skateboard?" They teased. It snapped Sage's, Toby's, and Ralph's attention towards them. Distracting Sage just long enough to where she fell off the board from the unbalance while halfway up the ramp. She fell off the board and tumbled and down the ramp and slid across the concrete. Leaving her arms and side bloody and bruised from the fall. The boys didn't seem to care, they laughed hysterically as they got closer to where she wiped out.

Toby and Ralph were up in an instant as soon as they saw her slide across the hard ground. THe boys, unfortunately, beat them to her.

"Is she gonna cry?" One of them laughed, leaning down to get in her face and let a faux pout form on his lips.

"She will. She's just a little girl," another teased, "A little girl shouldn't be riding a skateboard." The largest in the group kicked her skateboard up into his hand where it had rolled off during her tumble. Inspecting it with a wide smile as he shot a glance towards her.

Sage gave each of them an unamused frown as she sat up from the uncomfortable position in which she had landed. There was no way in any universe that she would satisfy them by letting a few pitiful tears fall down her cheeks. It just wasn't gonna happen.

"HEY! Beat it!" Toby yelled from behind the boys as he ran up to the scene with an angry scowl on his face.

"And what are you gonna do if I don't grandpa?" The larger one said with a wide smirk, taking a step closer to Toby.

"Come a little closer and find out," Toby threatened. In all honesty, he knew he wouldn't be able to take them, but he did know that he could pretend that he could. Which could possibly scare them off a little, but if it didn't, then he was in for it.

"Toby calm down. You need to focus on finding the guy at the park. Not rough housing with a bunch of teenage boys," Paige instructed.

Toby ignored her and took a step towards the boys forming a wall around Sage. He pushed Ralph behind him and socked the closest kid in the stomach when he took another threatening step forward. His friends caught him and the kid to his right came running towards him. He was getting ready to throw another blow, but Sage stops him before he could. She plowed through the rest of the boys and grabbed onto Toby's arm.

"Dad. It's okay, I'm fine," she said, trying to calm him down.

Ralph poked his head into view and stuck his tongue out at the boy still clutching his stomach from the hit.

"You could get arrested for hitting that minor," Cabe grunted over the comms. Toby ignored him and huffed.

"Fine, come on" he said, helping Sage over to the bench, and pulling Ralph along with him.

"Your poor Daddy's going to go to jail because he hit me. I'm gonna tell the police, and he's not going to see you for a long long time," The kid called after them. He was standing up straight now, yet still recovering from Toby's blow to the stomach.

Sage glued herself still and her expression dropped as she looked up at Toby. He wasn't denying it, and the fact that those idiots behind her thought it was hilarious pissed her off. She was angry, really angry. Anyone looking at her could tell. She didn't say a word, but the look on her face made them laugh even harder.

"Awww. What're you gonna do now? Cry?"

She lunged towards them, but she was too slow. Toby grabbed onto her arm, pulling her back into him and hugging her to his side with a strong grip.

"Leave them alone, you'll get hurt," He insisted. Sage glared at him and snarled out an answer.

"Watch me," she growled out, twisting herself out of his grip and running full speed at the boys

Ralph tried to run after her, but he wasn't strong enough to fight against Toby's grip.

"Cabe, you need to get here! NOW! Toby yelled through the comms.

"I'm already driving to ya," he heard him answer.

"Ralph. Stay. Here," he instructed with a stern tone. Then he ran after Sage to try and keep her from getting even further injured.

It had been a while since Sage last fought someone. So, she was a little rusty, but boy was she good at it. The two men chasing her earlier that month were too strong for her to fight successfully, but these kids were just too easy. They didn't know how to fight that well, and they weren't three times bigger than her. They were all bark and no bite. Her only disadvantage would be that there was 4 of them and only one of her. At least that evened out the odds.

She was a genius, she did the math, she did all the calculations. Being able to time when the perfect punch would be. Or where and when a weak spot would be exposed. She was swift and it was easy to get herself around them without much of a struggle. They just couldn't keep up with her as she landed blow after blow after blow. The satisfaction she felt when her fist connected with the jaw that had teased her; it was sure to leave a bruise tomorrow. Her blood was boiling and that only fueled her strength and speed. The throbbing pain in her side was no longer there as she only concentrated on her mark. On foot to the groin, one fist to the gut, that was her rhythm.

A couple times she could hear Toby's voice over the raging flame that had sparked up in her head. Or she could feel his hands trying to drag her off of her current victim., but each time her body instinctively marked it as a threat and she was able to roll herself out of harm's way. She was too focused to be dragged out now.

About three minutes later, after several bad cuts and bruises she had acquired, there was a distant police siren. It was Cabe's black SUV driving recklessly into the park. Through the grass and honking at the people standing around the skate park, watching the fight with wide eyes. Happy was driving, and Cabe was in the passenger's seat, with the rest of the team cowering in the back from the terrifying drive.

"Homeland security! Sage, stop it! Now!" He yelled. Sage froze, with her fist in the air, ready to rain down onto the poor boy's face. That hesitation gave the boy under her an opportunity to escape. He threw a punch to her in the jaw, releasing her grip on his collar and sending her flying backwards into the cement once again. His buddies, all battered and bruised, helped him up and they all ran off.

Sage had trouble sitting up. The adrenaline was wearing off quickly, and she could feel the scrapes from her fall earlier and all the bruises and cuts she received from fighting the four boys. Her head was throbbing, and her side felt like it was being stabbed multiple times as the cuts bled through her shirt. Now, her lip was bleeding and she could feel it swelling just a bit. The first person at her side was Ralph. He had been watching her through the whole ordeal.

"Sage? Are you okay?" he panicked. Supporting her back as she sat up and pushing her hair out of her face. Toby appeared next, kneeling down to her level to inspect her for some serious injuries. Pushing worriedly at one of the scrapes above her eye. She had a lot of scrapes and bruises on her sides and arms, and a sprained ankle for sure.

"See! That's exactly what I meant by not giving me a heart attack!" He scolded, after realizing there was no serious damage needing immediate attention.

"You could have gotten really hurt," he grunted in annoyance.

Cabe and Walter had rushed after the boys soon after Sage was sent sprawled onto the ground, in hopes of catching up with them and having a few words with them and possibly their parents. Paige, on the other hand, stayed right by Sage's side, worrying about all the damage that had been done to her small body. Sylvester kept his distance. Sage had large amounts of blood up her arm and side from sliding across the concrete, and he wasn't a really big fan of blood. Happy worried at a distance too. She didn't want to overwhelm Sage with her nagging as well, she probably got enough of it between Toby and Paige.

"Well at least you won't be charged for assault," Sage croaked, "they'd never admit that a little girl beat them up, they'll stay silent." Toby ignored the comment with an eye roll.

"Can you stand?" he asked, after he calmed down a little bit.

Sage nodded and grabbed onto his jacket to help haul herself up off the ground. Ralph stood right beside her with a hand to her back in case she fell backwards. Slowly, she began to lower her other foot to the ground to take a single step. When pressure was applied to her swollen ankle she winced and her leg collapsed beneath her, causing her to fall forwards. Thankfully Toby was there to catch her before she fell to the ground, he supported her weight as best he could. Letting her lean against him to regain her balance.

"Guess I'm gonna have to carry you." He attempted to pick her up, but she pushed him away with a stubborn frown.

"No I-I can do it," she tried taking another step, but she ended up in the same place; pressed protectively to Toby's chest. Toby looked down at her with an 'I told you so' look.

"Fine, you can carry me," she grumbled.

Toby picked her up, one arm supporting her back, and the other just beneath the curve of her knees.

"I'll see you guys back at the garage. I'm going to fix Sage up," Toby told the three standing around the SUV..

Ralph followed Toby and Sage to the car, and he hopped in the back. When Toby went to sit Sage down in her seat, she noticed the bloody mess stained on his shirt. That was HER blood.

"I'm sorry Toby, I didn't mean to get that all over your shirt." She pointed to the blotchy red stain on his shirt.

"It's fine. As a doctor I have learned how to get blood stains out of my clothing," he said with a grin, shutting her door and walking around the front of the car to climb into the driver's side.

"Let's go."

At the garage Ralph was carrying a bowl of water to Toby and Sage at the couch. Sage was laying down and Toby was sitting on the coffee table, hovering over Sage as he cleaned her cuts.

"Thanks Ralph," he said, dipping a slightly bloodied rag into the water, staining the clear water to a light pink.

Ralph didn't stick around to watch Toby work on Sage, he wasn't a big fan of blood. So he went and sat in the kitchen with his tablet to work on his programming.

"Ow," Sage winced, retracting her arm out of Toby's careful hands. Toby was trying his best to clean the deep scrapes along Sage's arms.

"I'm sorry," he winces, slowly reaching over to grab her hand and pull it back towards him, "I'll be more careful."

After some antibiotics and some gauze, Sage's arms were cleaned up and ready for use.

"Ok, now let's take a look at that ankle," Toby forced Sage to lay on her back, he scooted down the table until he was in line with her feet. When he picked up her injured foot she winced. He carefully peeled off her shoe and then her sock.

"Oh boy," Toby ran his fingers over her foot to find any more possible twists or fractures.

"You won't be able to walk normally for a few days," Toby says, reaching towards his medical bag to take out some gauze to brace her foot with. When he finds it, the team walks into the garage. Cabe and Walter look exhausted and the rest didn't seem all that calm either.

"Hey guys," Sage croaked. Her head was still spinning from smacking her head against the concrete.

"Hey," Happy comes up to sit by her on the couch, "Are you feeling okay?" She tucks a stray blonde hair behind her ear. She wasn't used to being the one giving comfort, but she was going to try it out anyway. Toby watched with a small grin at the small gesture she made.

"Don't worry, i've had worse," Sage laughed.

"That sounds like something Happy would say," Toby smiled at her as he continued examining her foot. Happy rolled her eyes and petted Sage's head one more time before standing up.

"Okay. Paige and I will make you some soup." She gets up and heads to the kitchen, Paige follows after giving Sage a smile.

"Toby? Is Sage going to be alright?" Sylvester asks nervously, wringing his hands as he glanced over at the bowl of bloody water on the coffee table and the tightly bandaged arm resting against her chest.

"Sly, you know I can hear you, right?" Sage jokes. A corner of his mouth lifted slightly and he turned to Toby for an answer.

"She'll be as good as new in a few days," Toby slaps him on the back then wraps the cloth expertly around Sage's ankle.

"We weren't able to catch those bastards that harassed you kid. They were too fast," Cabe grumbles.

"If you would have let me, I could've caught them easily," Sage crosses her arms over her chest with a pout then looks at Toby.

"No you couldn't have, because you're foot would have been a lot worse, and you know it," Toby argues.

"The adrenaline would have overcome the pain. So I coulda done it," she looks down at him, while he finishes wrapping her foot.

"That is true, but you would have regretted it afterwards," he says, sliding her sock back over her foot, but leaving the shoe set aside.

"Now, you lay here while I go talk to the team. Don't Move!" He instructed.

He walks to the kitchen, where everyone but Walter was gathered.

"Hey Ralph. Why don't you go keep Sage company?" Ralph complies without hesitation, and walks over to sit down by Sage, so he can entertain her with his tablet. As soon as Ralph was gone Toby starts up on his little rant. Quiet enough so the two young geniuses in the other room couldn't hear him.

"If it wasn't for those idiots, Sage would be okay, and we would have found the guy we were looking for. We only needed like 5 more minutes..." He continues on like that until Happy shuts him up.

"Doc, listen. You need a break, why don't you and Sage head home, and I'll ride home on my motorcycle. Maybe there you two can rest and talk a little more about the case," Happy suggests.

"No. I don't need a break, I'm just a little stressed," Toby presses his palm to his forehead and groans quietly.

"And you're a doctor, and every good doctor should know that the best medicine for stress is rest and relaxation, right?" Paige chimes in. Happy shoots her a grateful look. She knew just how to get inside Toby's head.

Toby grumbles, unable to come up with an excuse to pull him out of this hole he dug himself into.

"Fine, but we're coming back tomorrow," he grunts, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

"Okay, I'll see you at home," Happy says, turning back to the stove to pour some soup in a container then handing it off to Toby.

"That's for Sage when you get home, okay?" Happy instructed.

"Okay," he says, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. He takes the container and walks towards the main room to join Sage and Ralph.

"Come on Sage, we're going home," Toby says, putting the tupperware containing the soup on the coffee table so he could fasten the cover on it to prevent the soup from spilling everywhere.

"What?! But what about my case" Sage asks, sitting up from her position on the couch.

"The team is staying here, they're going to keep trying to figure this out. You need to get home and rest." Toby says, throwing his jacket over his arm.

Sage grunted in annoyance but gave in anyway. She forgot for a moment about her foot and attempted to stand up. When the pressure wa applied on her ankle a short burst of pain shot up her leg. She yelped and almost fell forward. Thankfully, Ralph was able to catch her arm and pull her back onto the so she didn't fall to the ground.

"Woah, thanks Ralph," she breathed. Her ankle was still throbbing and now her headache was getting worse from that burst of pain.

"I forgot," Toby grumbles. He had Sage's bag thrown over one shoulder and his own on the other. His jacket was draped over his arm and he was holding the bowl of soup. He had his hands pretty full.

"Okay, just a second," Toby moves a few things around to free up his hands. He bends down to help her stand, but their was two much of a height difference to support her the entire way. So he just pulls her up into his arms, being careful of her injuries. He was almost to the door when Ralph called out to them.

"Don't forget Sage's shoe!" He hands it off to Sage.

"Thanks."

"Alright, bye everyone, see you all tomorrow. Try not to die without us," Toby yells from the door that Ralph was holding open for him.

A chorus of 'byes' and soft chuckles sounded. They get to the car and Toby sets Sage down on her good foot so he could open her door. He helps her get in the car then throws everything else into the backseat. He climbs into his side and rubs his hands over his face. Dropping his head back on the headrest and letting out a long, tired sigh. Sage looks over at him while he just rests for a good minute or so. Eventually he lifts his head and starts the car.

"Why don't we go play some Mario," he suggests.

"Yeah, sounds good," Sage grinned.


	19. Scars of the Past

"Great! We're out of ice cream. How did we run out of ice cream?" Toby grumbles. He picks up the empty carton and peers into it. He tips it upside down and nothing comes out. He throws it back onto the table in front of them, getting back to the game which Sage was beating him terribly at.

He was in a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt, relaxing on the couch playing Mario Kart with Sage. Who is also in her pajamas. They both changed into their comfy clothes as soon as they got home. The entire day had been stressful, and painful.

"You know. I think you've secretly been playing with Ralph or Happy, or something, because you're really good at this. Like, ridiculously good," Toby grumbles as Sage passes by him once again. Sage smirks and turns the last corner, finishing the race in first place like she had the past few games. Toby was right behind her, taking second. She puts the controller down on the coffee table, and turns to face him with a triumphant grin.

"What time is it?" Toby looks at his watch.

"It's almost 5:00, Happy should be getting home in about an hour," He answers, putting his own controller onto the coffee table and leaning back into the couch.

"Man, I'm tired," Sage yawed, "are you gonna let me go back to the garage tomorrow?" She pulled off the blanket thrown over her legs and copied Toby's actions

"Sure, but I can't be carrying you everywhere you want to go. It would get a little boring and become a bit of a hassle." He stands up and stretches his back a little bit, "For me and for you".

"I'll just bring my sketchbook tomorrow. That way I won't have to get up a lot," She says stretching her arms and back while seated on the couch. Toby nods his head.

"That'll work." He sits back down on the couch and pulls his messenger bag onto his lap, rummaging through it for a little while. Eventually he pulled out a photo.

"The real reason we were at the park today, was to find this guy. We thought he might be involved with your case, but you kind of got into a scuffle with those teenage boys, so we weren't there long enough to find him." Toby says, lifting the photo so Sage could see the picture of the man.

She sneered and her nostrils flared in annoyance.

"That guy stole my drawing and passed it on as his own." Sage crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. Turning her head away from the picture of the man.

"Really?! We can arrest him for that," Toby smiles, attempting to lighten the mood, but it doesn't seem to help..

Sage just sighed in defeat and dropped her arms to her sides, looking down at her lap.

"That's the problem he didn't really do anything illegal," she says. She turns her head to get a glance at his confused expression.

"What do you mean? Stealing and copyright are both illegal."

"Yes, but he bought it from me. I sold it to him for $50, and he turns around and sells it for a fortune. He never really said it was his art, but everyone assumed it was since he was selling it. So he got all the credit. I didn't think the drawing was all that good. I just needed some quick money for food and clean water."

"Oh", was all he could say. He leaned back into the couch.

"Well, we'll keep looking for the other guy, but if you want we can prove that the drawing was really yours and it would ruin him. Plus people would buy things from you for a bunch of money," Toby suggests. He was already elaborately planning some scheme to get the guy to admit to buying the drawing.

"No. That draws attention to me. I don't want to be famous, I just want to be normal like everyone else," her jaw went slack, and she fell back against the couch, "That's why I hide that I'm a genius. I hate being smart," she grumbles.

"Well kid, your brain is never going to let you be normal. Trust me, I know," he chuckles, running a hand through her hair then patting her head.

At the garage Sylvester came across an interesting discovery. A very interesting one.

"Hey, uhm...Walt?...you might want to come take a look at this," Sylvester calls from his computer. His face was a mixture of surprise and fear. Something usually present on his face after new discoveries, but Walter could tell something was different this time.

"What is it Sylvester?" Walter rushes over to his desk, peering over his shoulder at the computer. He thought it would be something related to the kidnappings, and it seemed to in a way. Although, that wasn't what caught Sylvester's attention.

"Look at this. This doctor has been the Obstetrician in charge of these 5 childbirths," Sylvester points to a picture of a short stubby man in the corner of a long document, "and each of the children were reported to have died during or soon after birth," he says, pointing to the various names on the screen. "The parents reported that they were never even able to see their babies after they died."

By that time, Cabe, Happy, and Paige were gathered around his screen as well. They were all very curious as to what he had found.

"They all also have a strong lineal descent from brilliant people. Such as world renowned doctor's, engineers, lawyers and also … geniuses," he says the last part slowly, pointing to one line of information on the screen. Then directing his finger towards a name very familiar to each of them.

Everyone focused on the computer screens. It must have been some type of sick joke, or perhaps everyone was just having the same wild dream. Eventually the information sunk in and they began to realize that this was reality.

"Walter? Did you know Toby's child and girlfriend died during childbirth?" Sylvester asked in a soft voice. He still had trouble believing what he saw. Toby was usually so open with complaining about his past, but apparently it was much more traumatizing than any of them originally thought.

Walter was speechless, he was absolutely and utterly confused. As was everyone else. He never even thought to look into something like that when he was doing research on each of the team members. It never even occurred to him.

"He never told me about that," Happy said under her breath. She never took her eyes off the screen.

Cabe put a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to face him.

" Don't blame this on him kiddp, it's hard when you lose a child, and probably even harder when you lose the mother as well. Toby probably didn't want to bring it up and relive through that unpleasant time," he reasoned with her, and she seemed to understand, but she kept looking back at the computer screen. It made her heart ache for how much Toby must have suffered through his whole life. No wonder he would always self-destruct, he deserved so much better.

"When was it?" she asks. She can hear the crack in her own voice as she speaks, but nobody points it out.

Sylvester looks back at the screen. "11 years and about 4 months ago," he answered.

"No wonder he always acted weird at that time of year. It was the anniversary of his kids death," Walter began to better understand the behavior of Toby over the past years. The days off and silence that usually doesn't accompany the garage. It was peaceful, but nobody seemed to enjoy the sad atmosphere. It was all because Toby was mourning while reading a thick book on fetal development and the process of birthing a child.

"For now, let's forget about this, and do not tell Toby that we know. That will just bring in too many emotions and lower our efficiency. It may also upset Toby, and we need him on his best during this case," he glances around at the team and he sees all of them nod their agreement, even a reluctant Happy. "Tell us more about this doctor that you found," Walter instructs, turning back towards Sylvester.

"Doctor Barnes doesn't specialize in child bearing, but on 10 occasions he has had to, because there was not another doctor available at the time. Which I found very odd, because statistically speaking there are more than enough Obstetricians to be available at theses hospitals. 5 of the 10 were accounted as 'dead', including Toby's daughter. At first I thought it was just random, but then I looked closer and I found that it wasn't. All ten patients have gone to college and are extremely successful, either the mother or the father, or even a grandparent or a cousin. The entire family lineage is filled with successful men and woman, some even famous. While the five still alive, have parents that are slightly less educated. On each of those 5 occasions of the infant's death the mother died as well," Sylvester explained. Clicking through different browsers and pages to show records of family lineages and popular papers or research done by their ancestors.

"How is this guy not fired? Half of the time he kills the baby and the mother," Paige exclaims, throwing her hands in the air.

"That's the thing," Sylvester starts back up, "These weren't recorded in the hospitals online files. These files were deleted and basically erased from existence. but thankfully I was able to chance over them. I think this guy is definitely up to something," Sylvester says, saving the files onto a hard drive and handing it off to Walter.

"Good. Tomorrow we will go out and talk to this guy, while Toby stays to watch Sage and Ralph. Right now, we can continue looking into the kidnappings. These things are probably related in some way," Walter grabs the hard drive and hurries to his desk to start on his own research.

"I'm actually gonna go home Walt. Make sure the two bozos are still alive," Happy jokes, grabbing her things from her space and heading for the door.

"Happy! Remember. Don't tell Toby," Walter calls out before she shuts the door behind her. Once outside, Happy leans against the wall of the garage, letting out a long shaky breath, as she slides down to the ground. She propped up her knees and pressed them to her chest. She turned her gaze upwards and looked out at the few stars that were able to shine through all the city lights.

"Toby. Why didn't you tell me?" She dropped her head to her knees and shook her head. She still had trouble wrapping her mind around the idea of Toby being a father for all of two seconds before losing his first and only child.

She regained her composure and shook it off. She got back on her feet and climbed into the cab of her truck and revved up the engine. She argued with herself the entire way home.

"He had a right to keep that from me. Just like I kept the marriage thing to myself. I can't get mad, he had good reasons for not telling me," she reasoned. She was just upset that Toby didn't confide in her when she was right there to help him. She didn't want him to feel that he couldn't approach her about something important to him. She wanted to be his rock, just like he was hers. The crazy thoughts distracted her from the road and cars in front of her. She almost crashed into several cars before she blocked any thoughts of Toby's used to be child.

She reached their apartment a short while later and prepared for the worst, but what she saw was actually very cute. Sure there were ice cream cartons and bowls scattered around everywhere, and things were just a really big mess, but what caught her attention were the two on the couch. Toby was awake watching Cupcake Wars on the TV, while Sage was knocked out beside him, curled up against his side in a little ball. Rested right in the crook of his arm

When Toby heard her come in he turned his head to look at her. He gave her a soft smile, and she smiled back.

"It's not even 7 yet. Why is she already asleep?" Happy asks, sliding out of her jacket, and putting her things by the door.

"Getting beat up takes a lot out of ya. In case you didn't know," he joked, turning off the TV and looking down at Sage curled against him.

He tried his best to not shake or jostle her too much, as he picked her up. He carefully laid her head on his shoulder, and maneuvered around the obstacles in the living room to reach her room. A small groan came from Sage, as she repositioned herself slightly on Toby's shoulder, without quite waking up. She was still snuggled against his neck.

Happy watched as Toby stepped around things, trying his best not to trip or wake up the sleeping girl on his shoulder. She opened the door to the room for him, and he walked in and laid Sage on the bed. Pulling up the covers over her and tucking her in as best he knew how. Happy watched from the doorway with a sad smile. She couldn't help but let those thoughts from earlier come back. Toby would have been a wonderful father, just judging by the way he acts with Sage and Ralph, proves it. It was like it were instinct for him, like he knew exactly what to do. He knew what Sage needed and he knew how to comfort her, or even Ralph. Maybe one day they would be able to have kids together and he would be able to experience that joy that he thought he would forever miss out on.

She wanted to tell him that she knew about the past, right then and there, but Walter's words echoed through her mind 'don't tell him'. So she bites her tongue, and tries another tactic to distract herself. Toby had finished tucking Sage in and he was walking back towards her with a smirk.

"You know, I don't know if this is weird, but this whole 'daddy' acting thing is starting to turn me on," Happy says, looping her arms around his neck as he walks out of the room, pulling the door closed behind them.

"No, It's normal. It's natural for a woman of your age to find it attractive for a man to have a fathering instinct," he answered with a sly grin.

"Shut it. Don't be smart when I'm trying to seduce you," Happy whispers, standing on her toes to get closer to his face. Toby chuckled at her response.

"Okay," he said, leaning down to pepper her face with tiny kisses. "So what exactly turned you on so much?" he asls. Wrapping his own arms around her waist.

"What did it, was when you carried Sage to her room and tucked her in. Not to mention when you stood up for her at the park today. That was hot," Happy breathed against her lips. The flirtatious tone could definitely be distinguished through the whisper.

"Oh really. Anything else?" Toby was having way too much fun with this, but Happy enjoyed his playful side, so she decided to play along, while continually getting closer and closer.

"Eh, you just take really good care of her… almost like she were your own daughter," Happy was pushing him back slowly towards them room. In that instant, she saw something flicker across Toby's face, something she wasn't familiar seeing on his face. It was sadness, regret, guilt. In that instant she knew it, Toby had lost his daughter, there was no doubt about it.


	20. Memories Never Die

The next day, everyone was gathered back at the garage to see if they could break any ground with the case. Surprisingly, Toby, Happy and Sage were there bright and early ready to get a head start on whatever they needed to do. Sage had woke them up that morning because Happy didn't wake up at the time she usually did. She probably threw her phone across the room again. She'd been doing that quite a lot lately, it took both her and Toby a good 5 minutes to get her out of bed that morning. She's been much more tired and grumpy lately, but that was probably just because of all the stress and running around from the past few weeks.

Once they did reach the garage, and everyone had arrived, Toby began to notice the odd looks he was receiving from everyone. They were subtle, but of course he was able to pick out the abnormal behavior. He tried his best not to read into it too much, everybody was probably just a little off because of the circumstances, but that didn't stop him from telling Happy about it.

"Why do you think everyone acting so weird?" Toby took a sip of the coffee had poured for him and he sat down at the kitchen table. Happy was at the counter in the kitchen pouring the remaining dark liquid into her own mug.

"I don't know," she fibbed, sitting down beside him, kicking a leg over his lap.

Toby narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, he knew she was hiding something, but he left it be. He knew she would tell him if it was anything important. So he shrugged his shoulders while he turned his gaze to watch Sage and Ralph play Jenga on the coffee table set in front of the couch. The two of them needed something to occupy their minds with while they waited for any new developments.

Sage was winning. She seemed to have a special knack for geometry rather than any other form of math. She was making moves that would make it almost impossible for Ralph to even attempt a turn. Ralph on the other was struggling with finding a way to outsmart Sage, every trap he tried to set, she found an impossible way out. He much prefered chess.

She had never played Jenga before today, but this was by far her new favorite game. Paige had suggested it to them, she was getting tired of their hovering, and Sage's constant requests for updates.

The tower hadn't fallen once in the past hour, and at this point it looked ready to topple over at any moment. Each layer contained one wooden block, with almost zero support. The stack got increasingly higher each turn, the end was in sight and Ralph was determined to win at least one game.

Walter gave a small smile at the competition, or game, taking place to his left then he stood from his chair and shot a quick glance at Paige. She nodded her head in approval and Walter shuffled over to the kitchen where Toby and Happy were mindlessly chatting.

"We aren't making any progress with this case, so Paige told me that I should give you two the day off. You both look exhausted," Walter said, shifting his feet uncomfortably. He didn't like trying to lie to Toby, he knew from experience that Toby could call out his fibs from a mile away.

"Why, thank you Walter. We appreciate your concern" Toby replied sarcastically. He knew Walter was preparing to lie from the moment he walked up to them, but the day had been kind of boring. No new information had come up for over 5 hours and neither Happy nor Toby were contributing anything worthwhile. All they could do was wait for Sylvester or Walter to pull more info.

Happy gave Walter an all too knowing look, as Toby gathered their things, happy to get out of the stressful and boring atmosphere. He wasn't about to waste an opportunity for a day off. Happy stood up and helped him gather their things, while Walter walked back to his desk. He sat down and continuing the search he was busy with earlier.

"Hey Sage. We're getting off work early, we're going home," Toby said, helping her stand up, then handing her the crutches Happy made for her earlier that morning. She was about to object, or even pout, but decided against it. She knew from experience that it wouldn't get her anywhere, plus it was beginning to get a bit dull in the depressing atmosphere of the garage.

"Do not even think about moving the tower," Sage threatened, glaring at Ralph as she readjusted her grip on the crutches. Ralph threw his hands up beside his head and moved slowly away from the coffee table.

"I'll call you if any new information comes up," Paige told Toby as he pushed both Sage and Happy out the door. He was ready to get home.

"Thanks Paige, we'll see you tomorrow."

In the car, Toby was already planning what he was going to do with his day off. At this point, he had forgotten about all the odd behavior at the garage

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to sit back and relax when we get home," Toby said, driving down the highway to their apartment. Happy had let him drive, because she was still exhausted and she's been wanting to curl up and sleep since she woke up that morning.

"I'm taking a nap," Happy yawned, sliding down as far as she could in the seat.

"What about you Sage?" Toby looked back at her through the mirror.

She shrugged her shoulders. Her elbow was propped up against the side of the door and her fist was balled up to support her chin as she gazed out the window. She was a bit tired too, she hasn't been able to get much sleep the past few nights. The nightmares seemed to just get worse and worse, but she doesn't dare to say anything about it.

"You can just hang out with me. We can watch some cartoons," Toby said excitedly. He looked back at the road as he took a few more turns to reach the apartment complex.

At the house Happy was already in the bedroom, fast asleep. Curled up under the covers, and settled in for a long, relaxing nap. She didn't waste a beat. As soon as she stepped foot in the door she toed off her boots and flung her jacket somewhere near the table, and neither Toby or Sage saw her after that.

Toby and Sage were relaxing on the couch watching Wile E. Coyote. Toby had his feet kicked up on the coffee table, looking through some papers in his lap, while he watched the TV with Sage. Sage was laying her head on the other end of the couch, while Toby sat at her feet. They were had both changed into their pajamas when they got home; Sweatpants, and loose T-shirts. Sage noticed his drifting attention, he was paying less and less mind to the coyote getting pummeled by heavy objects, that was usually his favorite part. He was more concentrated on whatever was stacked in his lap than what was on the TV.

"What are you looking at?" Sage sat up and looked over Toby's shoulder. They were just a bunch of papers with words and stuff, nothing all too interesting. At least not more interesting than Wile E. Coyote.

"Happy and I have just been trying to find her husband so she could get a divorce. I'm just looking through the stuff we found again, it's been awhile,. I'm trying to figure out the best way to approach him," Toby said, angling the papers so she could see what was printed on the white papers.

"What do you mean 'the best way to approach him'?"

"He isn't the safest fellow to be messing with. So we've just been working out a scenario where I don't get killed or punched. I mean, I'd be pretty pissed at the man who stole my wife too," Toby explained.

"What's he look like?"

As soon as the trio had left the garage, Walter and Sylvester worked to look more into what they discovered last night.0

"Sylvester! Anymore information on that Doctor?" Walter called from his desk as soon as he heard their car pull away from the garage.

"What doctor?" Ralph perked up from his spot on the couch.

Walter looked over at Ralph. He realized that Ralph wasn't awake during their discussion the other night, he was asleep on the couch after their long day.

"Uh. It's a personal project Walter has been working on, honey. Let's go get a snack," Paige says, before Walter digs himself into a deeper hole, which he usually did in situations like that.

"But mom. We should be working to help Sage," Ralph complained, looking back at Walter and Sylvester.

"Yes, but that doctor is important, and it had to be taken care of as soon as possible," Paige explains, sitting him down in a seat, and taking out some fruit for him to snack on.

Ralph didn't totally buy it, he found it suspicious that they just started talking about it after Toby, Happy and Sage left. Sometimes he felt that his mom forgot that he was a genius, and that he wasn't an oblivious child anymore. He trusted Walter's judgment though, along with the rest of the team's. If they did not want to share, then it was probably best. So he didn't make a big deal about it. Although, sometimes they do make some stupid choices every once in awhile.

Sylvester, Walter, and Cabe were gathered around Sylvester's monitor when Paige joined them after she got Ralph settled in the kitchen.

"I haven't found anything much more on the Doctor. This guy has a clean record, and a pretty normal life as far as I can tell," Sylvester paused and looked over at Walter, "...You know this is kind of Toby's forte, maybe we should tell him".

"No, we can't risk Toby's emotions getting in the way. When we absolutely need his help, and know for sure this is the guy, we'll tell him" Walter says, moving back to his desk, and digging through a stack of papers on his desk.

"Walter," Sylvester said from his desk, trying to capture his attention again. Walter looked over at him.

"There was only one abnormal thing I could find."

"Happy! Happy! Wake up! We have to go back to the garage!" Toby threw open the door to their room with an obnoxious bang, throwing off his comfy clothes to put his other outfit on.

"What the heck Toby! What's going on?!" Happy sat up, rubbing at her eyes with a furious scowl.

"Hurry! I'll explain on the way," he yells as he runs back out the door after pulling on his jeans from just a little while ago. Happy groans, and sits up with a frown.

"I hate you Curtis!"

Once they were back on the road, Toby explains everything to Happy as calmly as he could. He didn't need Happy going on an angry rampage while he was trying to drive the car safely to the garage. Surprisingly though, Happy didn't get angry over the news. She was absolutely quiet the rest of the ride there, her complaints of being woken up ceased and her face was almost ghost white as she gazed out the window. It worried Toby just a bit, but the newfound information is what worried him more.

When they arrived at the garage, it was almost as busy as when they're working through a mandatory case. Boards were drawn up, files were being handed around and leafed through. The tapping of computer keys were a constant background noise that accompanied the soft murmurings of whoever was working through the case. Ralph was still at the table, but he was using his tablet to study for his college class he wanted to take that upcoming year, he was paying no mind to the chaos taking place in the garage around him.

"I thought you guys said that there was nothing to do," Toby said, running into the garage, followed by Sage on her crutches, and Happy soon after.

"I...uh...um," Walter started, as everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at the three new arrivals.

"Never mind! We know who kidnapped Sage, or at least helped," Toby threw a few papers on the table in the center of the room. Letting them scatter across the slick surface.

At the top of the stack there was a mugshot of the man. He had reddish blonde hair and a squared jaw. He had a mustache and a scruffy beard similar to Toby's, with a couple tattoos down his face and neck. The scowl on his face matched perfectly with his features.

When Ralph got ear of the news, he rushed over to the table and grabbed for the mugshot. The rest of the team soon followed after they were able to process the information.

"Oscar Mandel?" Ralph asked, gazing at the name below the picture.

Walter looks over Ralph's shoulder at the picture then moves onto another set of papers on the table. It was his personal records.

"How'd you find him?" Cabe asked, picking up a set he could examine for himself.

"Uh...Happy knew the guy, and we were just looking into him for no particular reason... Sage saw his face, and remembered him from her dreams," Toby answered, looking over his shoulder at Happy. She was still standing away from the group, gazing down at her feet again. To the others, she seemed to be in deep thought, but Toby knew the real reason behind her silence.

"How'd Happy know him" Walter pressed, like always, oblivious to Happy's uncomfortable state. Toby moved to shield Happy from Walters gaze, and he narrowed his eyes at him. Toby opened his mouth to speak, before Paige beat him to it.

"It's nothing Walter. Let's just start on the case, maybe we can find something useful this time," Paige said, putting a hand on his chest and standing in front of him. Drawing his attention away from Happy and back to the mysterious kidnapper. Walter glanced back at his computer where his research for the doctor was still up. He turns back to everyone gathered around the table.

"Okay. Let's get started".

Sylvester runs over to his own computer to get rid of the visible files on the Doctor, in case Toby saw. Then did the same to Walter's. While Sylvester was busy with that, Walter crouched down in front of Sage.

"Is there anything else you can tell us that might help?"

It was the first time he had acknowledged her for over 5 seconds. Except for when he was yelling at her and Toby for doing something stupid, but that was under different circumstances. This time he was speaking to her personally, not out of anger, but because he wanted to help. It startled her and set her off balance, sending her stumbling backwards into Toby. Toby caught her easily, as if it were second nature for him and he pushed her back up on her feet to face Walter. Walter waited patiently for her answer.

"A-all I remembered was his face from my dreams," she answered. Walter nodded, and flew back onto his feet.

"Okay. This is a start."

20 minutes later and the team was still off pulling additional information, that Toby and Happy had found on their own. They were just checking and reviewing the information to make sure it was up to date and accurate.

Toby was giving Sage a small check up on the couch. She was staggering just a bit, even with the crutches. She didn't admit it, but Toby could tell she was in pain. He unwrapped her bandaged leg, and set it down on his lap as he examined it.

"Does this hurt?" he asked, rubbing over a small bruise a little above her ankle. She winced, then shook her head 'no'. Toby gave her the Doctor eye.

"I know when you're lying you know." He looked back down at her foot and pushed on another spot. Same results. He attempted movement, but the slightest pressure sent a small whimper through Sage's mouth. She tried a grunt to cover up the embarrassing sound, but Toby caught it anyway.

"Ok. It's healing, but you're not going to be able to walk on it for a few days," he digs through his medical bag, trying to find some new wrappings to wrap her foot in. The other ones were wearing off and weren't supporting her as well as they should have.

"Man. I really need to clean this thing out," he chuckled, pulling out a roll of gauze, "I can't find anything in here."

Sage laughed at the comment because she knew it was true.

After Toby finished wrapping her foot, he asked her to lay on her stomach so he could look at the scrapes on her side. She rolled over, and lifted her shirt to show the bandages he put on her the other day. She pillowed her head in her arms as Toby tugged at the corner of the wrappings. He tried to pull off the gauze without causing her too much pain, but it wasn't as easy as he would have thought. The fresh blood from the other day dried and it glued the bandages to Sage's skin. He wouldn't be able to tear it off without activating a few of her exposed nerves.

"Ok. I'm going to rip it off like a bandaid...and it's going to hurt...a lot," he warned.

"Ok. Just get it over with," Sage was done with his antics and she just wanted him to rip it off already. She could care less about the pain.

Toby ripped it off as quickly as he could, wincing in the process. He could almost hear the pain. He looked over at Sage's face, mostly because she hadn't made a noise. She lets out a slow shaky breath after a few seconds.

"I'm...good."

"Ok," Toby examines her side for any sign of infection. His face falls into a concerned frown as he rubs his gloved thumb over a rather irritates patch of skin. He pinches at the skin gently and he grunts in annoyance. Then reaching for his bag.

"Shoot. I have to do something about that," he mutters to himself.

He couldn't find what he was looking for, so this time, instead of continuing to dig through the bag he dumps all of its contents onto the table. Bottles, needles, band aids, bandages, and string go everywhere. Along with several other ointments and medicines.

He picks up the open syringe on the table. It must have fallen out of its case while in the bad, and he was about to put it back in. He would have to dispose of it when he got home, because the needle was already contaminated, but before he could even find the case, Sage's mouth opened and a blood-curdling scream emitted from the back of her throat.

Her eyes never left Toby's hand that held the long needle. Her face had paled and her body was visibly shaking in fear. He didn't have time to notice where her attention was averted to, so he cautiously approached her with the needle still in hand. She yelled at him to get away, before leaping off the couch to escape. All eyes had settled on the, at this point as Sage stumbled and fell to the ground. She payed no mind to the throbbing sensation in her foot, she had landed on it again while trying to escape, but she could care less. She was absolutely terrified.

"Sage...it's okay...tell me what's going on," Toby tried approaching her again, but slowly this time. Still unaware of the needle in his hand. She continued to back into the corner, towards Happy's desk until she couldn't go any further. Toby looked pained at the way Sage's eyes widened in pure terror as she gazed at him, he didn't know what was going on, or how in the world to fix it.

"Aidan! Hide!" She shouted. She tried standing again, but she fell to her knees in a heap.

She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. She grabbed at the hair on her scalp as he body shook violently. She growled out a strangled moan before letting out another raspy scream. "Aidan! Run!"

She wouldn't stop. Her short nails dug into the side of her head as she rocked back and forth on her knees, muttering and grunting in pain.

"What the heck's happening to her Doc?" Cabe yells, rushing to Sage's side and kneeling down next to her to help her up.

Toby pulls him away quickly, before Sage lash out at him. Either she could hurt him, or herself in a n attempt to get away. She wasn't currently aware of her surroundings, she was reliving her memories.

"She's...she's...remembering," Toby answers, as Sage continues to rock back and forth, with tears streaming down her cheeks. The murmurings stopped, but the groans of pain didn't. Ralph runs to her side, he looks about as terrified as Toby. Both their faces were paler than ever before and their eyes were held open wide. Paige had grabbed for her son and pulled him away, just like Toby had done with Cabe.

"We can't just stand here! We have to help her!" Happy shouts, looking over at Toby with more fear in her eyes than he had ever seen before. She looked on the verge of tears, and so was he. He couldn't help Sage, he couldn't comfort her, but he also couldn't just sit around and do nothing.

So he sits himself on the ground a few feet from where Sage was struggling.

"No! Get away from me! Please." Her yelling soon faded into whispers and pleas. Her voice didn't have any bite to it, it was pure, unadulterated fear Toby scooted closer, and everyone stepped back to watch.

"Hey. It's okay. It's me...Toby." He touches her shoulder, unsure as to how she would react to the contact. Sage curls up into a ball and cries in response.

"I-I want my daddy. Please...please find him," she grabs onto Toby's shirt and pulls herself towards his chest. Nearly curled into his lap as she continues to shake in fear.

"Hey guys. A little help," Toby grunts as he tries to loosen Sage's grip on his shirt. Happy comes to help him. When Sage's hands are pried away from Toby she loses it again. She reaches out to him.

"No! No! I have to find my daddy! He's looking for me! You promised!" She shouted, fighting against Happy's grip around her.

"Uh...Doc. You wanna take over?" She asked as Toby paced back and forth with a hand to his thumb.

"She's reliving the memories that she lost, it's more real than not. That syringe has to have something to do with that traumatic time in her life, it triggered the memories. I just don't know how to get her out of it." Toby picks Sage up from the ground and lays her down on the couch.

"It's just like her dreams. Why don't you just wake her up?" Cabe asks.

"That's the thing. It's not a dream. She's regaining her memory...at least bits and pieces of it. If we wake her up, then there is a large chance that she won't remember anything. Besides it's pretty dangerous to wake somebody up in a state like this."

Sage eventually calms down, but she hadn't opened her eyes yet, her breathing evened out and eventually the tears dried against her cheeks. All of a sudden, her entire body spasmed repeatedly, almost as if she were having a seizure. Before Toby or anyone could react, her entire body bolts upright and her eyes snap open. Her voice is caught in her throat and she was only able to speak one word.

"Dad!"


	21. Fake Smile & A Million Tears

"Toby! I saw him!" Sage shouted after waking up from her 'nightmare'. She threw her head in all directions, frantically looking for her temporary guardian. She finally settles down after he comes to kneel by the couch. She was still breathing a bit heavy, and her body was drenched in sweat. Toby grabbed onto her hand and she breathed out a long sigh and dropped her head backwards back onto the couch. She snapped her eyes closed and clenched her teeth. She did not like what she just saw.

Her hair was damp and a few loose hairs were matted to her glistening forehead. She took a couple minutes to calm her racing heart and to steady her breathing. The team all waited patiently as she regained her composure.

"Who'd you see?" Toby asked after Sage opened her eyes again. He sat across from her on the coffee table. Leaning forward with knitted eyebrows and a stern expression.

"I saw Oscar... and there was someone else, but I didn't see their face...I just- It was horrible," she released her hold on Toby's hand and curled in on herself. A small sob stuck in the back of her throat that she refused to release, which resulted in strangled breaths as she rocked back and forth with her eyes snapped closed once again.

"I can't believe someone would do that," she murmured.

Cabe's face fell as he stepped closer to the couch and rested a hand on her forehead to clear away the hairs stuck to her red flushed cheeks.

"What'd you see kiddo?"

Sage took a deep breath and closed her eyes before explaining what had happened.

"I-I saw little kids. They were everywhere, maybe 6 or 7. Some were lying perfectly still on old worn cots with needles and cords connected to them at every angle. Some had to be restrained to the bed, because their body was thrashing around while they slept, or at least, I guess it was sleep. Some were gagged some were not, but all of them were pale and dirty, but no one seemed to care. No nurses came to help them. It wasn't even a hospital, it was dark and wet. As if they were trapped in a large stone prison. There were no windows and I could feel the cold ground on my feet and a chill went up my spine as I watched them. It was as if I were really there in that moment," Sage uncurled herself and laid on her side, pillowing her head with her arm.

"Then I turned around and I saw a door, it was a big metal door surrounded by stone bricks. I was in a small confined room. The door opened and I walked through, and I- I saw even more children. They were all sitting around on the ground with books in their hands and holey socks on their feet. They seemed to be perfectly healthy, but it smelled terrible in the room, they didn't even seem to care about the dried sweat and blood on their faces or arms. They just sat there with blank expressions reading their books. Some were reading on the cots in the corner, others had an entire workspace situated on the floor. Their clothes were far from clean or new. There were holes and large stains, and they all wore the exact same outfit, with a little tag on their chest, but I wasn't able to read it," Sage paused and looked up at everyone silently listening to her memory.

"Then...I saw Oscar approach me from a dark corner of the room, he had a long needle in his hand and he kept getting closer to me, but I couldn't move. I was trying to, but my body seemed to collapse and none of my muscles worked. He got close enough to me to grab my arm and drag me back to the large metal door. He stuck the needle in my neck and whispered something to me. The last thing I remember was my body being lifted onto one of those beds, and everything went black, I completely lost control of my mind and body."

During her description Toby had settled himself on the couch by her feet. He patted her shin for comfort and she sat up in response to lean against him. Cabe, on the other hand, looked pissed.

"This ends now!" He pulls out his phone and begins dialing as he walks out the door of the garage to speak without any distractions or interruptions.

After he left, Happy makes her way around the coffee table and takes a seat on Sage's other side, who is now curled up against Toby.

"I ca-," she starts to speak, but Toby cuts her off. He knew she was blaming herself for what happened.

"I know Hap. We can talk about him back at the house, it's not your fault," Toby looks over at her and gives her a soft smile, while Sage reaches out to grab her hand. She squeezes it and smiles at her, but she doesn't say a word.

Toby rubs Sage's back and pulls her closer into his side when he feels her shake just a little bit. He didn't want her to have to be scared anymore.

At that time, Walter stepped forward, unaware of the sensitive circumstances. Toby gives him a look, he probably knew what he was about to do, but he didn't say anything about it, instead he just continued to rub Sage's back as Walter asked his question.

"When you awoke, you yelled for your father, do you by any chance remember who he is?"

Sage didn't move from her position, but she did answer his question truthfully.

"No, I don't know him, but I am almost certain he is out there. A little while after things went dark, I heard someone talking to me. He was telling me about my parents and where I came from before I was brought there. I can only remember bits and pieces of what he said, but he spoke very highly of my father, he didn't say much of my mother or any other family. He was explaining to me about why I was there and why I didn't have a family, it was because they never loved me and they gave me up to be apart of some experiment. They supposedly traded me for money. He said they wouldn't come looking for me, that there was no use to search for them if I ever got out. I… but I think he was lying, he had to be."

"Do you think that voice you heard was Oscar's?" Walter pressed.

"No. It was a completely different person, I am positive about that," Sage said, "Oscar's voice was entirely different, I could tell what he was feeling or if something was wrong just by the way he spoke, but this man didn't have any motive speaking with me. There were no emotions behind his words, he just didn't care. It couldn't have been Oscar," Sage answered.

Walter nodded and motioned for Sylvester to follow him, seeming to be satisfied with the information he had received. Paige lead Ralph back to the kitchen despite his protests, she knew Sage needed some privacy and some time to work things over in her head so she could better understand the things she was beginning to remember. Happy stood from her seat and followed Paige to the kitchen, she needed some time to process things herself as well.

Sage stayed curled into Toby's side, letting her head rest against his chest, the repetitive rise and fall of his chest helped her to relax.

"Are you okay with all this?" He asked once the silence had become to much for him. He couldn't NOT address what just transpired a few minutes ago.

She nodded in response.

"For the record, I don't usually cry this much. I guess it's just getting pretty stressful," she mumbles.

"Yeah, I know. You've never had to deal with these types of emotions all in one sitting. One day you'll learn to control it to an extent," he pauses, "and I know you've never had someone to care for you in the past, but I want you to know that now you do. I don't care if you spend the whole time crying on my shoulder, if you need someone to be there for you, I always will be. Any of the team."

Sage nods her head and presses her face closer to Toby's chest. In return he wraps his arms around her and presses a small kiss to the top of her head. After a few more minutes of silence, Sage lifts her head to look up at Toby.

"Toby? If I don't find my parents, can I stay with you and Happy until I find somewhere else to stay?"

"Of course you can," Toby answers. Sage smiles and lays her head back onto Toby's chest, with a soft satisfied hum emitting from the back of her throat.

The comfort of his warmth and embrace only lasts another minute though. Soon he has to get up, and assist the team in assessing the new information they had just received. They needed to locate the building, or site Sage had described in her dream. If they could find it, it would give them leverage over the entire situation. Sage didn't pay any mind to the full details of the situation, she simply reached for her sketchbook and drew.

* * *

2 hours into the case and Toby felt something tugging on his shirt sleeve while he was studying the people and buildings pinned up on the board at the back of the garage, by Sylvester's desk. It was Ralph.

"Come here, Sage has something to show you." He pulled on Toby's sleeve some more, until he was actively moving in Sage's direction. She was quickly adding a few last minute details, to make sure it was accurate.

"What's up?" Toby flops onto the couch right next to her, and looks at the notebook lying in her lap. She ceases the movement of the pencil, pulling it away from the paper and angling the page in Toby's direction so he could get a good view of the entire picture. His eyes go wide and he reaches to lift the book off her lap. It was a very detailed sketch of exactly what Sage had described in her dream. The children busy reading on the floor and the dark corner where the the unmade cots were lined up against the wall. It was almost as if Toby were there himself.

"Guys!" He rushes over to the other team members gathered at the board of pictures and documents, with the sketchbook in hand. He sat it up on Sylvester's desk so everybody could get a view of the

"Is that the room Sage was describing" Sylvester said taking a closer look at the picture. Toby nodded his head in response.

"Let's get to work," Toby said, comparing the drawing with the various warehouses/sites displayed on the board.

"No! Toby, you are way to invested in this. All of you are. I want to find this man as much as you do, but I've watched every single one of you almost go down the rabbit hole because of this. You guys need to take a break, this can wait for one more day," Paige scolds. She was extremely exhausted, and not to mention grumpy. She had spent the past two hours trying to keep any of the geniuses from falling too deep down the rabbit hole, and with Cabe's help she was barely able to keep them on the surface.

Walter's about to object, but Paige glares at him. He decided that it was probably best to keep his mouth shut. Cabe agrees with Paige.

"Paige is right, you all need to get some sleep. Especially Sage, she's had a really long two days," He says, covering his mouth as he yawns.

"Come on Sly. I'll drive you home," he says, waving for Sylvester to follow him. Sylvester reluctantly gets up and shuts his laptop, following Cabe outside to his car.

"Happy, take Sage home. I'll work just a little more, then I'll come home. K?" Happy's about to object, but Paige beats her to the punch.

"No! Toby, you are going home too," Paige instructed.

Toby argues and his voice grown louder with each word.

"No! I know that I've almost got it. With this picture I know I can find the right building and we can find the men that did this. I just need a little more time," Toby turned back around to look at the board.

"Toby, I think this situation is getting really personal, and you're starting to make irrational decisions," Walter adds in.

Toby continues his argument with Walter and Paige, he was determined to finish what he had started that day. He didn't want Sage to go another night without knowing who it was that did this to her. What he didn't notice in the midst of the argument was Sage herself. With Ralph's help, Sage had limped over towards Toby, Happy, Paige, and Walter. When she was close enough she let go of Ralph and fell into Toby, grabbing his arm for support. He turns away from the couple to look down at Sage. He moves his arm instinctively to support her better, as she leaned into his side.

"It's okay Toby. I can tell you're kind of stressed, let's just go home and go to sleep," She gives him that look. The one he taught her to use on Happy whenever she wanted something bad enough. He never thought he would ever fall victim to it. He grunted in annoyance, turning away from her face.

"I told you to only use that on Happy," he joked, with a small smile escaping from behind the frown. Sage smiled and tugged on his arm.

"Come on. I'm tired, and that new genius show is on tonight," she said, trying to pull him towards the door. Key word: trying.

Ralph handed Sage her crutches that were leaning against the wall beside the couch, and Sage took them and adjusted so she could make it to the door. Happy gathered her things and smiled over at Sage, while she was waiting by the door. Toby gave one last backward glance at the board, before reluctantly following Happy and Sage to the car outside.

Paige didn't leave with Ralph and Walter until she was sure Happy and Toby were gone and weren't coming back anytime soon.

* * *

When they got to the apartment Sage immediately jumped in the shower. So, Toby and Happy collapsed on the bed. They were both physically and emotionally drained from the day's events. After a few moments of silence, Toby started his usual jibbering about whatever was on his mind at the moment, but Happy wasn't listening. She was much more concerned with what was on her mind, after hearing of those things her 'husband' had done to Sage and most likely the other children.

"Toby, I had no idea Oscar was doing those things. If I knew I would have put a stop to it right away," Happy says, looking down at her hands in her lap.

Toby stopped his talking and he scooted across the bed to wrap an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her into his side.

"Hap, it's not your fault. And you probably couldn't have done anything without any help."

"But I should have known something was up. Every night he would come home late, and he thought I was always asleep. He was usually covered in blood, sometimes more so than other nights. Some of it was his own, and some from someone else, it was always splattered on his clothing, no matter how many times he washed it out... I never even questioned him about it because I was too scared of him. I'm such a coward". Happy curled up in a ball and covered her face with her hands. She always knew something was going on, but she was too scared to ever admit it.

"No Hap. Look at me," Toby pulls her hands away from her face. "You did the right thing. If you got involved you might have gotten really hurt or worse. There was nothing you could have done by yourself, even with the cops on your side. If things have been going on this long without them ever being caught, then they definitely have a game plan and they wouldn't be scared to take out anyone standing in their way. Just think about what you're doing now. Now, you are working to take them down because now you can do something about it. To me that definitely makes up for keeping quiet all those years."

Happy didn't say anything, she just nodded her head in response. They stayed curled around each other until they heard the water cut off in the bathroom. Signaling that Sage was done with her shower.

"Don't tell anyone. Especially Sage. She's going through enough already," Happy says sitting up from their position. Toby scooted a little farther away from Happy to give her space in response, but still close enough so their shoulders were touching and their fingers could be intertwined.

Then Sage came limping out with a wide smile. She was wearing her favorite pajamas as she brushed her hair into two long, wet braids. Happy and Toby were splayed out across the bed. Waiting patiently for Sage, so they could watch their show.

She limped over to the bed, and climbed across Happy so she could be situated right in the middle. She settled herself directly between the two warm bodies.

"I'm ready," she said, leaning onto Toby's shoulder, as he pulls the covers over all three of them, and turns on the TV.

During the entire duration of the show, the three point out the inaccuracies of every intellectual comment made by each character. That was probably the main reason they even watched the show, because they sure weren't learning anything from it.

After the episode ends, both Happy and Sage could tell that Toby was dead tired. So they suggested he get in the shower so he could get right to sleep when he got out.

While he was in the shower Sage and Happy talked, much like they did in the mornings while Happy made breakfast. They've not been having their talks that often though, because Happy hadn't been waking up early like she usually did, but Sage understood.

"You got Toby wrapped around your little finger don't you?" Happy laughed, staring up at the ceiling, with her hands clasped together over her abdomen. Sage smiled triumphantly in response.

"Yep. It didn't take a lot of work," she joked. Happy laughed. They sit in a comfortable silence for a short while, before Sage's face falls into a confused frown. She turns her head to gaze across the bed at Happy.

"Do you know why Toby got so caught up with the case today?" Happy turned her head as well and made eye contact with Sage. Her smile fell as well.

"He just has more love in him than he can handle. All he wants is to help people and sometimes he gets a little too invested, especially when it comes to the people he cares about," she admitted. She looked back up at the ceiling. Sage thought back to what Toby had told her soon after her breakdown, and she realized that her presence had affected him just as much as it affected her.

"I saw him go down the rabbit hole today. All of you did. It was kind of scary," Sage admitted. Happy smiled again and reached across the bed to pat Sage's arm.

"That's why we have Paige with us. She keeps us from doing stupid things like that," Happy laughs.

"Yeah. That's good... Before I met Colby, I would always go down the rabbit hole. I would get so caught up in one of my drawings or work and I wouldn't eat or sleep, and sometimes I would miss school. My guardians at the time didn't like it at all. Colby sorta refused to leave me alone and he would always check on me to make sure I was alright, so I didn't really have any more chances to go back down the rabbit hole."

"Yeah, I know what you mean... You know, I haven't heard much from Colby lately. Where's he been?" Happy asked, pushing herself up so she was leaning against the headboard. Sage tensed at the question.

"I'm mad at him. He did something stupid."

Happy laughs, "that sure does sounds familiar". Sage forced a smile too.

"I shouldn't be mad at him, it's not really his fault. I just wish he would have told me he was being moved to a new foster home. I came across it all by myself and now I won't see him again. He's going to move in a couple days." She frowned at the thought and Happy's face fell as well.

"I'm sorry. Maybe you should try and talk to him. You know, have one last adventure before he leaves."

Before Sage could voice her opinion on the matter, the bathroom door swings open and a room full of steam flows into the bedroom in one solid movement. Followed by a still very damp psychiatrist. He used his towel to dry of the excess water droplets in his hair, then threw it somewhere in the corner of the room. His shirt was mildly damp from the collection of steam from the bathroom, but he was relatively dry when he grinned at the two on the bed.

"So, what you ladies talking about?" He asks, bending down to place a single kiss on Happy's forehead, but keeping his eyes fixed on the young girl hugging his pillow to her chest with an excited grin.

"Nothing" Sage laughs, when she sees his face.

Toby narrowed his eyes playfully at her and rounded the bed as both Sage and Happy laughed. When he reached the edge of the bed, he leaned towards Sage, who had scooted closer to Happy during the duration of his movement.

"Were you laying in my spot?" He asked, climbing across the bed, as Sage tried to hide behind Happy's body.

"No," Sage giggled.

"Yes you were," Toby says through playful gritted teeth. Both he and Happy share a look, and Happy lifts Sage's squealing form and pushes her into Toby's ready arms. She laughs and tries to escape, but Toby lifts her over his shoulder before she could make her escape. She was hanging upside down and Toby hung tightly to her legs so he wouldn't drop her.

"You betrayed me!" Sage shrieks at Happy as Toby bounced with her around the room before collapsing into the bed on his stomach. Sage landed rather ungracefully on his back in a fit of giggles. It had been a while since she had allowed herself the innocence of a giggle, but Toby had given her the perfect opportunity and she gladly took it. She sat on top of Toby's back, allowing her faint giggles to calm into a tiny grin. One look at Happy though, sent her spiraling into another fit of uncontrollable laughter and she fell forwards with her face pressed between Toby's shoulder blades. Toby couldn't help his laughter either and the two of them had trouble catching their breath

Happy watched the entire exchange and she just couldn't stop grinning at Sage's cute laughter and Toby's loving smile as he laughed along with her. He really would have been a good father, and in Happy's opinion he would still make a great one.

"Alright. I gotta get a shower. You two nut jobs behave yourselves," she grabbed her clothes and stepped into the bathroom to take her shower.

"I'm gonna roll over," Toby warned, as he slowly rolled his body to the side. Sage quickly jumped out of his way, to avoid being squished. He sat up with a groan and leaned back against the headboard. Sage grabbed his pillow she was hugging earlier and laid it on his chest when he had gotten himself comfortable. She smoothed it out and fluffed it just a bit before laying her head down on it and curling into him. After the events of that day, she really didn't want to be alone.

"How's your foot feeling?" he asks, looking down at her ankle that she had unwrapped earlier when she got in the shower.

"It's good, it only hurts when I walk or stand on it," she says, readjusting herself so she was 100% comfortable.

"Good. I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days," Toby says, reaching for the remote near Happy's pillow and changing the channel to something they both might enjoy.

When Happy exited the bathroom a few minutes later she, once again, witnessed an adorable sight. Toby had sat up against the headboard and Sage had literally 'pillowed' his chest. Her head rested on the pillow as the rest of her small form curled in on itself, with her feet firmly braced against the outside of Toby's thigh. She was sound asleep, as she should be after the eventful day she had. Toby was humming some song as he watched the muted television, so it wouldn't wake the sleeping girl.

Happy crawled into the bed, and slipped under the covers, scooting herself and her pillow to be closer to two of them.

"Looks like you get to put her to bed," she chuckled, getting nice and comfortable for the night.

Toby nods his head and slowly sits up straight. Sage wakes involuntarily and shoots up in surprise, blinking rapidly and gazing around the room.

"Shhh, go back to sleep. I'll put you to bed," Toby whispered, standing from the bed and reaching his arms out for her. Sage yawned and nodded her head, stumbling across the bed towards his open arms, but not before grabbing the pillow and hugging it back to her chest. Toby chuckles when she presses it to her cheek and reaches out to him like a tired toddler. A small yawn escaped from her and Toby lifted her gracefully from the bed and she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her face into his neck, yet keeping a firm hold of the pillow. Happy laughs at the scene as Sage is somehow able to curl into him, wrapping her loose arm around his neck and slowly drifting back off to a comfortable sleep.

He exits the room and he could almost swear he heard Sage's small snuffle, as her small fists curl around his shirt. She reminded him so much of a very small child in this moment, she was so innocent and vulnerable as she pressed closer to Toby's neck, it made his thoughts bounce back to the time when he was a father, a father for all of two minutes before the doctor came in and told him the sad news. They would have been only a year or so younger than Sage if they were still here, and he would have been able to experience all the wonders of being a father. It made his heart constrict just a bit as he pushed open the door to Sage's room.

He lays her down gently on the bed, struggling to undo her strong grip from his shirt. She eventually releases her hold on him and curls against the pillow she had stolen from his bed. She pressed her face into it and breathed in the scent softly. She may not have been entirely awake, but Toby smiled at the thought that she found comfort in his scent. He cleared away her hair and bent down to press a soft kiss to her temple, smoothing out her hair with a sad smile. He knew he would have enjoyed being a father, to have someone depend on him for every little thing.

With a swift shake of his head, he lets those thoughts dissipate from his mind and he presses one more kiss to her crown before walking out the room and cracking the door behind him.

* * *

It wasn't long after Toby left before Sage was tossing and turning in the bed. The pillow was still clutched tightly to her chest as the sweat beaded on her forehead. The soft scent of Toby was no longer providing the comfort she needed to calm her sleeping mind. She whimpered and curled around the pillow further, hoping it would miraculously transform into the man it belonged to. She was having another nightmare. It had been a good week since she had had a really bad nightmare. The sense of security she had been receiving from the team had provided her with a calm sense of mind and happy thoughts, which lead to a series of more pleasant dreams. Now, after the memories she regained, she was sent spiralling back into that traumatic time in her life with no escape. Her teeth clenched and her entire body shuddered as she tried regaining control of the dream. It was too real now, everything she saw was clear, and the pain she felt was more brutal than anything. She couldn't take it for much longer.

Neither Happy or Toby had been alerted of the nightmare like they usually were from her soft sobs or cries. She was silent, but her mind was far from it. She awoke from the dream with a start, sitting up bolt right in the bed, with the pillow clutched so tightly to her body she might as well have considered it a part of her now. She took in one breath after the other, gulping in each gasp as if it were going to be her last. She did the breathing trick Toby had taught her early on and it calmed her racing heart and helped steady her breaths.

She pressed her face into the pillow and drew her knees up. She rocked back and forth slowly as she breathed in breath after breath with the soft smell of both Happy and Toby's shampoo drifting through her nose. It was a comfort she wasn't ready to give up anytime soon. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so she glanced at the red numbers illuminated on the clock beside her bed. It wasn't even midnight yet, there was no way she could stay up until morning. She rocked back and forth for a few more minutes, contemplating whether or not to go back to sleep. She didn't want to bother Happy or Toby, she knew they were both just as exhausted as she was, and they deserved a good night's sleep.

That's when she remembered what Toby had said to her earlier that day. 'If you need someone to be there for you, I always will be'. She thought about it for awhile, that just maybe Toby was telling her the truth. She knew he wouldn't be bothered to be woken up because she had a nightmare, he never was before, so what would be so different this time around? She needed someone there, because right then she felt so alone, sitting on that bed in the dark room… alone. So she made up her mind and swung her legs off the bed, feeling the cold wooden floor against her bare feet. She kept the pillow clutched against her lower face as she padded out of her room and down the hallway.

Their bedroom door was open, allowing the soft yellow light of their bedside lamp to seep through the hallway. The light brought comfort to her. It's not that she was scared of the dark, per say, she's just unsure of what may be lurking in it and the thoughts that followed along with it.

She reaches the doorway, and doesn't make a move to enter the room. Happy was the one awake, with the TV on in the background as she flipped through a car magazine that was often lying on her bedside table. Toby was already passed out on her lap, lying comfortably on his side. He had found a replacement pillow for the one Sage was currently holding. Happy ran a single hand through his soft curls, and Sage could swear she heard the grown man purr as she did so. They both looked so at peace and for a moment she regretted her decision of coming to them and debated on whether or not she should go back and just deal with her problem on her own. She didn't want to bother them with her troubles, not when they were both so content.

Before she was able to retreat, Happy saw her out of the corner of her eye, hugging the pillow to her like a small child clutching onto their sacred blanket. With one look, Happy knew instantly something was wrong.

"Hey. What's wrong?" she asks, scooting closer to the edge of the bed, letting Toby's head drop to the mattress. He didn't even stir. He just continued his soft snoring while Happy motioned for Sage to come closer.

She didn't hesitate to climb in the bed and curl into Happy's side, near where Toby's head had fallen. Happy wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and Sage pressed as close as she could into her side with the pillow pressed between them. Happy didn't really know what to do in this situation, so she just kept an arm wrapped around her and pulled her closer. She didn't push and prod to find out what was bothering her. She just let her cry, while she rubbed small circles on her back.

Toby still hadn't woke up, so she used her free hand to hit him in the head a few times until he woke up with an annoyed grunt. He sat up and rubbed at his head, where Happy had hit him.

"Happy what the h-?! Oh." When he got a look at Sage curled into Happy, he dropped his voice to a soft whisper and scooted closer to them.

"Hey kiddo. What's wrong?" he asks, rubbing Sage's back.

Sage doesn't respond to him, she doesn't want to talk yet. Eventually she calms down just enough to explain what happened.

"You okay?" Happy asks, leaning away so she could get a good look at her face. Sage nods her head and draws her knees to her chest, abandoning the pillow beside Happy.

"I-I had a really bad dream, worse than what I've had before, because this time I was aware of everything that was happening, instead of it all just being a blur. I remember what it was all about and I really wish I didn't." She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, and a choked sob escapes her.

"Come here sweetheart," Toby cooed, pulling her into his lap, and wrapping his arms around her. She lays her head against his chest and continues to explain what happened in her dream.

"There was another door, another metal one, but it wasn't the same one that I remembered from my memories. It was still dark and cold, and there were still the grey bricks along the walls. There were kids in there too, with me. Then the door opens, and I don't know why it was so scary, but everyone scattered as soon as they saw the door slowly swinging open. They all ran off to hide in the dark corners, leaving me all alone as the door creaks open. Then Oscar comes in, with cards and a belt. He grabs my arm and pulls me to a chair in a corner and asks me a bunch of these hard questions and whenever I got an answer wrong he would hit me with the belt." Happy scowled, but kept her position beside Toby.

"He didn't look very happy to be hitting me and I wanted to know why he was doing it even though I knew he didn't want to. So when he left I followed him outside the room, because I guess I was curious and stupid. I saw him talking to another other man, but his face was all blurred. The guy hit in the stomach then pointed at me with his finger and told him something. Oscar looked back at me and shook his head, I don't know why he did it or what it was about, but the man got really angry at him and kicked him over and over again. He beat him just like Oscar had beat me with a belt, and he didn't even put up a fight." Sage stopped crying, but stayed seated in Toby's lap.

"I was about to run back into the room, but something was holding me back and-and I couldn't get away fast enough. The man left Oscar on the ground and came after me next. Oscar tried to stop him, but he got shot in the leg, by someone else, I didn't see who, or from where, but blood started pouring all over his jeans and he screamed really loud from the pain. I tried to run again, but he just wouldn't let me go." Her breathing became ragged and came in in large gasps as she tried her best to follow Toby's deep steady breaths, as his chest went up and down. She followed the rhythm and concentrated on the beat of his heart that had quickened substantially.

Toby rubbed her back and looked over at Happy. She was piecing together the events just like Toby was, they both weren't very fond of what Sage had to go through.

"I'm so sorry," Toby whispers into her hair, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head, then resting his chin there.

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't even be crying about it. Crying doesn't help anything, it's just a stupid way for humans to show other humans when they're at their weakest."

"Well you know sweetpea. If other humans didn't know when you were sad, then how would they ever be able to comfort you?" Toby questioned. Sage went silent as she thought about it.

"I still don't like it," she grunted in annoyance. Toby chuckles and presses another kiss to her hair.

"I know sweetheart," he says.

Happy was all too familiar with what Sage was going through. All the betrayal and pain she experienced at a young age. Beatings, neglect, nightmares, and no one there to comfort her. She would never wish that kind of life on any child or any human being.

After a while, Sage began to squirm in Toby's embrace. He let her go and she scrambled to get off the bed, giving a longing look at the pillow still laying beside Happy, but deciding to leave it there. She shouldn't need a pillow or a special scent to sleep at night, she was able to do it before and she could do it now.

"Are you sure you're alright" he asks, raising an eyebrow. He didn't miss the way she gazed at the pillow, but he didn't address it either.

"No...I'm just going to go to my room, I won't be able to go back to sleep. You guys are just as tired as me, so I'm going to let you sleep so you can work tomorrow." Sage spun on her heel so she was facing the door. She was ready to escape, but Happy called out to her with a deep frown.

"Yes we are tired, and so are you. So that means you are going to stay in this bed with us, until you fall asleep," Happy instructed. She wasn't going to take no for an answer, and Sage knew it. She gave Happy a soft smile and turned around to face the bed again. Toby looked over at Happy and smirked before scooting to the middle of the bed to give Sage some room to climb in.

He grabbed the pillow Sage had brought back with her and he settled it behind his head, while Sage climbed into the bed and curled against him, pillowing her head on his arm. Happy smiled approvingly and scooted closer to Toby while turning off the TV and she pillowed her head on his chest as his other arm wraps around her shoulders. He was stuck sleeping on his back, but he couldn't be more comfortable.


	22. Fire Inside of Me

Toby was the first to awake that morning, which was a rare occasion. He's never ever really been an early bird, he prefered to stay in the bed until it was noon or at least until he just couldn't bear to stare at the ceiling any longer, but he hadn't had the chance to do that in a while. Before Happy started calling him every morning, yelling at him through the phone to get his lazy butt out of bed, it could have taken him hours to ever get out of the bed on time for work.

Even if he wanted to get out of the bed, he wouldn't be able to with both his arms pinned to his sides. He moved just a little bit to try and get himself comfortable before becoming aware of the heavy weight against his chest. He glanced down to see Sage's limbs splayed across his body, with her arm hung over his waist as she had her face pressed into his shoulder. She was sound asleep and she looked at peace, there must have been a significant lack of nightmares after she fell asleep. Happy was curled against his other side, pressing her face into his neck as her short legs curled around one of his.

So he just layed there and watched the both of them sleep in that non-creepy kind of way. Happy shifted numerous time during his time awake. He was aware of the amount she moved and talked during her sleep, because she was often the one falling asleep in his lap while he stayed up late to read a book or go over some recent case studies. He found that over the years his mind worked best at night, so that's when he did most of his deep thinking, which resulted in him being able to experience the vulnerable and cuddly Happy.

He'd never say it to her face, or to anyone's for that matter, because no one would ever believe him, but Happy Quinn was a hardcore cuddler. She kept her distance when she was awake, always being sure to fall asleep on the opposite side of the bed, or always sitting far enough away from him on the couch that he wouldn't be able to wrap his arms around her. Yet, when they get to the privacy of their own home and she begins to get too exhausted to care, she would slowly scoot closer to Toby without him having to say a word. Or she would roll over little by little until she could throw an arm around Toby's waist and eventually pillowing her head on his thigh.

The first week Toby was exposed to this new side of Happy, it surely took as a surprise to him. He would channel all his self control to not curl around her during the night or to close the distance between them on the couch so he could wrap his arms around her during the movie. He just kept his distance and eventually as Happy got more comfortable around him she'd curl into his side while Toby tried to hide the awestruck look on his face.

When Toby was finished daydreaming about Happy he focused his mind on the warehouse that Sage had described the day before. He ran the scenarios through his head, he tried getting into the mind of the man behind this, but he had trouble connecting the last few dots together.

He didn't notice when Happy and Sage woke up, he was far too busy trying to figure out what in the world was going on. He had memorized every bit of information, but he would have to look at it from a different angle to get a clear picture.

Sadly, Happy didn't wake up voluntarily, she was awoken by Toby's constant mumbling an grunts of frustration. She sighed to herself and removed her face from the warm space it was cocooned and she gazed up at Toby. He was already losing himself in his thoughts, 'not good'. Happy knew the signs all too well, and speaking to oneself while staring at nothing was high up on that list. She tried to shake him out of it, but that only resulted in waking Sage as well. She yawned and rolled onto her back, splaying her limbs in every which direction. She looked over at Toby then at an annoyed Happy.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. I think he might be slipping under, who knows how long he's been awake," Happy grunted, pushing at his shoulder with one last shove, "Toby!"

He stopped his mumbling, but he didn't turn to look at either of them. He just narrowed his eyes at the ceiling and frowned. Happy rolled her eyes and reached out to shove him again, but before she even got the opportunity to do so, Toby sat bolt upright. He had a huge grin plastered across his face.

"I did it. I know where it is," he yelled, jumping to his feet so he was standing triumphantly on top of the mattress, nearly smashing his skull against the ceiling. He was too tall to be doing stuff like that. He jumped off the bed and ran down the hallway, returning with his hat on his head. He grabbed his phone from the charger and dialed for Walter's number.

"Hello?" Walter answered after the first ring.

"Yeah, Walt. I figured it out, tell everyone to meet at the garage pronto," Toby announced.

"Tob-" Walter was cut off when Toby hung up the call and grabbed a clean shirt from his drawer, before disappearing into the bathroom then running out, past the bed, out the bedroom door and back down the hallway like an excited puppy. Happy and Sage sat on the bed, watching him run around the apartment in amusement. Sage yawned again a couple times and glanced over at the clock, before watching him run back to the bathroom.

"Um. Should we tell him that it's 5 in the morning?" Sage asks, crossing her legs, as she rocks back and forth on the mattress, reaching for the pillow Toby was using the previous night and hugging it to her chest. She really enjoyed that pillow.

"Na. He never gets this excited about anything and he never gets up this early. Just let him be," Happy says, sitting back against the headboard. Sage follows suit. They watched as he darted in and out of the room multiple times, without a lick of attention from him. Then he paused and glanced over at the two of them still relaxing on the bed.

"What are you guys doing? We have to get ready," Toby says, running into the bathroom for like the third time in the past 3 minutes.

"Alright. Well, I'm gonna go get dressed before he gets mad," Sage laughed, jumping off the bed and limping into the hall. Her leg felt a little better than it did before. She felt like she was already getting back to her old self. Happy chuckled and got up to get dressed too a little while after Sage exited the room.

Toby rushed out the bathroom and peeled off his sweatpants and Shirt, and throwing on the clean clothes he had picked out earlier. Running straight past Happy.

"Good morning to you too," she replied sarcastically.

Toby stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at her with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry Hap. I don't know why I'm so involved in this," he said, dropping his head and taking a few steps towards her.

"Hey, It's alright. You just care a lot about Sage, and you want to help. It's not your fault," Toby smirked and looked up at Happy.

"Wow, I think I really am rubbing off on you." She rolled her eyes and he gave her a short, sweet, apologetic kiss that he would have loved to deepen, but she pulled back and patted his chest.

"Go finish getting ready cowboy," Happy smiled, picking out the clothes she was going to wear that day.

Toby gave her one more quick kiss to the back of the head before heading to their kitchen after he had all his clothes on properly.

Sage was ready to go in just a few minutes. She tried her best walking around the apartment without her crutches as Toby and Happy finished up getting ready. She didn't like having to use them and the sooner she could get rid of them the sooner she could get back to her normal routine. Although, her normal routine had been disrupted over the past few months, so there wasn't much of an excuse.

* * *

Only minutes later and they were at the garage in record time. Neither Cabe or Sylvester had arrived yet, but the Waige's, as Toby called them, were already there waiting for them, and they did not look the least bit happy. Toby paid no mind to them as he walked into the garage, with the other two trailing behind him, they looked exhausted too.

"Why's it so dark outside," he called to Walter, glancing back at the door he had just walked through.

"Maybe because it's five in the freaking morning," Paige huffed in annoyance.

As the adults argued with each other, Sage made her way towards the kitchen with her crutches so she could join Ralph in whatever it was that he was doing.

"How's your leg doing?" he asked, looking up from his tablet to glance at Sage.

"Not that bad. I can move it now," she grinned, lifting her leg to his line of sight, rotating the ankle just a bit for demonstration. "Toby put on new wrappings this morning and I think they're hurting more then the foot itself."

Ralph laughed and turned back to his tablet. He angled it just enough so Sage could see what he was doing. He was working on creating a basic online game. The coding was a bit complex, but as Sage studied it closer she was able to get the gist of it.

"Woah that's pretty awesome." Sage and Ralph's conversation went on for a good length of time. Sage helped him develop a few original ideas and Ralph explained what his plan was to her, while the rest of the grown ups talked about the case briefly. Waiting for the other team members to arrive, before Toby explained everything.

They arrived just a little while later. Cabe had stopped by Sylvester's place to pick him up, and he wasn't all that happy about the early wake up call either.

"Alright, what's happening Doc? There better be a good reason for waking me up this early in the morning," Cabe yells as he soon as he throws open the door to the garage, with Sylvester trailing in behind him.

Both Sage and Ralph look up from their project when they hear Cabe's voice. Ralph rushes over to help Sage stand and Sage tries to control the urge of shrugging him off, she knew he was only trying to help. He guided her to the rest of the team so they could listen in on Toby's thoughts. It took a little while for him to get it all out with his typical way of spouting out other useless facts into his explanation. When he finally finished, all the geniuses in the group nodded their agreement. They spent the next couple minutes explaining to both Cabe and Paige just exactly what Toby had uncovered.

He had not only found the location of the warehouse Sage described, but also an intricate plan to find out the reason behind it.

"So do you think you can get homeland to fund this operation?" Walter asked Cabe, when he finished explaining the game plan.

"I'll try my best," Cabe said, pulling out his phone and dialing Coopers number. He walked out the door to speak privately while the rest of the team went over the entire plan. Ralph seemed to be getting involved in the planning too, but Sage had a hard time comprehending what was going on. She understood what they were doing, she just had trouble believing that after all the years of searching she would finally get the answers she was looking for. Something she had given up on a while back, but now she was given hope and she was finally given the opportunity to find out who her parents are, where she came from, and what happened to her. That scared her.

She got a sudden urge to vomit everywhere, her head spun and her legs went weak. She quickly limped over to the couch to before she fell to the ground. Happy turned away from the conversation momentarily and looked over at Sage sitting on the couch. She had her chin resting in her hands, and her elbows propped on her knees while she slouched forward with her eyes squeezed shut. Happy frowned and dispersed from the group to go and sit beside Sage, crossing her legs beneath her.

"What's wrong?"

Sage let's a slow breath out before answering, she didn't even bother to look up to answer the question.

"I just have trouble...comprehending I guess. I can't believe that after all this time we're actually doing this. I'm scared to find out the truth...what if it's not what I hoped for? My entire life has revolved around finding where I really came from and where I belong, what if it doesn't live up to my expectations?" She removed her head from her hands and looked over at Happy.

"I know exactly what you mean." Happy smiled over at her.

"You-you do?" Sage asks with an arched brow.

"Quite a lot actually," Happy nods, "Every time I have to make a big decision, a life changing one, it makes me feel exactly like you do right now. Like when I was finally convinced to go talk to my dad for the first time in over twenty years. Or one of the toughest ones yet: Letting Toby take me on a date." Sage laughed and Happy chuckled because it was true. When Sage finished laughing she turns back to Happy and Happy's face falls into a serious frown.

"I want you to know something, so that you don't make the same mistake I did, when something like this happens again." When Happy says that, Sage glances over at Ralph brainstorming with the rest of the team. Happy was definitely not oblivious to it, and she smiled a knowing smile, before speaking again.

"All those things I did, the things I wasn't all that sure about. When I was scared to find out the truth behind them, or what may result from my actions... They all turned out to be the best decisions in my life… And I'm not saying that this decision you make will for sure change your life. It might, but if it's not this, one day you will have to make a decision that WILL change your life. If you don't take the opportunity and jump for it, you will never know the potential happiness it could have given you. Take Toby for an example. At first glance, every one of my instincts were screaming to get away from him, push him away don't let him get close… and I listened to them, I listened to my instincts, because that's all I've ever known." Happy paused for a moment and looked over at Toby's figure who was participating in a passionate argument with Walter on how to approach the situation.

"I regret that, because now I realize how much happier I could have been. If things wouldn't have worked out, it would have been a bit messy and we would have gotten through it eventually, but at least we would have known we went for it. If I never gave him a chance then…" Happy wasn't sure what to say at this point, but Sage was following her every word.

"It's like Schrodinger's cat right?" Sage asks, "the cat is either dead or alive, but you will never know 100% until you open the box." She understood what Happy was saying, she knew what Happy was trying to warn her about.

"You said you were scared like me, but you're not scared of anything," Sage asks, genuinely curious of how such a strong and independent woman like Happy could be scared of anything.

"That's not even close to true. I'm often more terrified than anyone else, I'm just much better at concealing it so they don't know. Sometimes though, it's good to be scared. It's good to know your limitations and it also proves that you're human," Happy finishes with a warm smile.

Sage smiles back and leaps across the couch to wrap her up in a hug.

"You know, before I met you guys, I never gave people hugs," Sage whispered, with her arms still clasped around her neck. Happy smiles at the comment and hugs the young girl back. They eventually pull away and Happy stands from the couch.

"We're much more alike than you think kid," Happy says, ruffling up her hair just enough to send blonde streaks flying into her face. Sage laughs and pushed her hand away, fixing her hair.

"Hey, um, could you get Toby? My foots kind of hurting," Sage asks, before Happy's too far to call out to.

"Sure thing."

She watches Happy come up behind Toby, and poke him in the side multiple times. He jumps, and turns to look at Happy with a playful glare. She gestures over to Sage on the couch, and Toby nods his head. Some words were exchanged, but they were too far away for Sage to hear what they were saying, but she could have only guessed it was about her.

Toby walks over to her, sitting next to her on the couch and pulling her injured leg onto his lap.

"So your legs giving you trouble?" He asks, unwrapping the fresh bandages from that morning.

"Yeah, and I was feeling kind of dizzy earlier. That's why I came to sit down," she answers.

Toby looks down at her ankle, being careful not to bend it the wrong way.

"Do you think you can stand up on it?" He asks, standing up himself and holding out a hand to her in case she needed it. She takes the offered hand and uses it to hoist herself up off the couch. She stands on one foot at first, she had no desire for those red hot flashes of pain that was brought forth the last time she attempted this. She used Toby's hand to keep her balance as she gently placed her other foot on the hard floor, slowly applying more and more pressure to it. Her smile is wide when she's standing fully on the other foot. She jumped up in excitement, then winced when she landed back down on her previously injured foot.

"Ouch! No jumping. Got it," she winced, grabbing her foot and falling into Toby involuntarily. Toby laughed, and sat her back down on the couch.

"I think the bandages were just too tight, and it was putting a lot of pressure on it, but if you take it easy, it won't hurt that much. The key words there was 'taking it easy' if you didn't catch that." Toby laughed at his own joke. Sage rolled her eyes, he was such a child sometimes.

"What about being dizzy?" she asked, looking over him.

"That's probably from all the stress about this case. You're fine, don't worry," He says, helping her stand on her feet, and walk back over to the team. She limped just a bit, but it felt good to not have as much pain.

Cabe walked in a couple minutes later, announcing Homelands decision to fund the operation. The team formulated the plan some more, going over it and tweaking it to almost perfection. Of course there was a high chance of success, but there was also a pretty high chance of failure. So this plan had to be as safe and logical as possible. If one thing went wrong, it could get really dangerous really fast, depending on the situation.

"Ok, this is how it will go," Walter starts handing out field assignments to each team member.

"Sylvester, you will stay here and watch Ralph and Sage, while guiding us through the building. I will hack into the system and also pull up some blueprints for Happy and Paige. You two will be helping Sylvester with guiding us. Cabe, Toby, and I, will head into the building, and find some type of evidence of what has happened there in the past few years."

"What if there's still people in there?" Sage asks, looking over at Walter.

"That is not very likely, but if there is something going on in there, we will find out about it," Walter looked down at Sage, with a sympathetic look. Or as sympathetic as Walter could give. Either way, genius or not, he seemed to understand why Sage was worried about the entire scenario.

"Alright, you stay here with Ralph and Sylvester. We'll be back before you know it," Toby rests his hand on top of Sage's head while he speaks to her, and he gives her a smile. She nods, and gives him a quick hug, just in case something happened. Toby takes note of her sudden change in attitude.

"You have nothing to worry about, okay. I'll come home with a full report. and hopefully we'll finally know who your parents are." Toby tries to divert her attention to something else, anything that could lift her spirits.

"Fine, just don't make any irrational decisions like you always do," Sage grunts, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey, that's not me, that's Walt! He's the one that jumps off of buildings and crap like that," Toby grunts, pushing some hair into her face with a laugh and rushing to the door to join the rest of the team while she hurriedly pushes her blonde hair back into it's place. What was with everyone and her hair today?

"Hey, I brushed that this morning!" she huffed.

When the door closed with a loud clang, she hung her head with a sigh and dragged herself over to the couch. Ralph followed after her and took a seat beside her. Sylvester was already over at his desk, typing away on his keyboard and answering the team's questions over comms. Sage collapsed into Ralph's lap with a groan.

"This sucks Ralph. What if they find who my parents are and I have to leave you guys to stay with them. Or what if Toby or Happy get hurt, or-" Ralph cuts her off with a flick to the head.

"Stop being like that," he grunts in annoyance, "Don't do that whole 'what if' scenario, whatever happens will happen and no matter what that is, we will always be friends," He says. He was rather harsh, but Sage didn't seem to think so.

"I guess I am being a little over dramatic," she answered with a huff. Ralph smiled to himself. He must have been getting pretty good at knowing Sage, because if he would have talked to any girl like that at school they would have either burst into tears or give him a glare and never speak to him again. Sage gladly accepted the advice.

* * *

It had only been 20 minutes and Sage was getting restless. Sylvester has been typing non stop, and the clicking of the keys was driving Sage insane, not to mentions Ralph's typing as well as he continued to work on his computer game. The typing and the anxiety was all going to drive her up a wall, she knew she was going to lose it, and it took every ounce of her self-control not to run out the door and chase after the team to assist.

"No! Toby! Stop being stupid, you have to follow the plan," Sage's ears perked up at the statement. It didn't seem to faze Ralph all that much. Sylvester continued to argue with Toby over the comms and Sage didn't waste any time. She grumbled to herself and ran to the back of the garage to get one of her skateboards she kept hidden in the garage. Her patience had finally run out. She runs back into the main room, in hopes of being able to slip out the front door, but Ralph was standing in her way. He knew exactly what she was thinking from the moment she jumped off the couch and ran to the other room.

When she moves to sidestep around him, he holds out his arm and steps back in front of her, he wasn't letting er leave without a fight.

"Ralph! Get out of my way!" She snaps at him. Ralph doesn't seem fazed as he holds his ground.

"No! You are not going to go out there and get yourself hurt. You're still healing from last time," he says, gesturing down to Sage's foot.

"Ralph," she warns with a glare as she steps into his space. Ralph doesn't move, instead he straightens out his back and squares his shoulder. He wasn't all that tall, but he was taller than Sage and that's all the advantage he needed.

"You've given me no choice Ralph," Sage says, taking another step closer to him so they were almost touching. He was nervous about exactly how far she was willing to go to get past him.

She grabs hold to the front of his shirt and tugs him down towards her. She wrapped a hand around the back of his head and pressed her lips onto his, holding his head in position, just long enough for him to realize what was really going on. His knees started going weak and his entire body froze in place, Sage was kissing him! SAGE was kissing HIM!

She released her hold on his neck and his eyes snapped open, while his jaw dropped. He was still processing what had happened. He could barely move, talk or let alone stop her. Which was exactly what Sage was hoping for. So she grabbed her things and ran out the door.

Sylvester wasn't paying any attention to them whatsoever. Ralph slowly turned his gaze over to Sylvester, who had completely missed the entire scene and Ralph was somewhat glad he did. He wasn't upset Sage kissed him, or ashamed of it, but Sylvester would end up blabbing to Toby at some point, which would reach Paige and eventually Walter, and before they knew it the entire thing would be breaking news around the garage 'no thank you'. He wanted to keep this to himself for now.

Ralph came back to his senses a few seconds later, after the initial shock had worn off. He looked around for any sign of Sage, but just as he expected, she was gone. He groaned in frustration and sat back down on the couch. He looked on the coffee table to see Sage's phone lying there, just waiting to be put to use. He grabbed the device and bypassed the password with ease before scrolling through her very short list of contacts to find Colby's name.

He pressed call and Colby picked up after the second ring. Ralph didn't give him any time to say hello, he got straight to the point.

"I need your help, Sage is probably going to be in a lot of trouble soon if we don't hurry. Meet me at the garage as fast as you can, I'll explain on the way," Ralph said, ending the call and running back into the depths of the garage to find another one of Sages hidden skateboards. There had to be one around there somewhere He had been practicing riding, so if by any chance they went out riding again, he could impress Sage with his skills.

He also stole a couple comms and set them to a frequency so they could have private conversations, and at the last second he grabbed one for Sage just in case.

* * *

Sage rode the board down the empty alley ways, going as fast as her injured foot would let her. She knew exactly where she was going and there was nothing that was going to stop her from reaching that building. It wasn't all too far away. The pain didn't even register the pain in her foot as it continued to slam into the hard concrete. The adrenaline had finally taken over.

The only thing distracting her from her mission was the stupid decision to kiss Ralph. At the time it didn't mean anything, just an easy way to get past him without having to seriously injure him or kill him, but now that she thought about it, there were probably many more solutions to the situation than kissing him. He would surely get the wrong idea and she didn't want to have to go through that stage of awkward glances and stammering conversations. She simply wanted to keep things the way they were.

Before she could get to distracted, she shook the thought from her mind and continued riding. She needed to concentrate on a plan, any plan. She didn't think this one entirely through when she took off from the garage, the emotions are what drove her at that time, she should have waited until she had a solid plan.

* * *

Nobody was injured... yet.

Sylvester had only gotten onto Toby because of his stupid suggestion to split up. There were three floors and three of them inside. When he suggested it he must have thought it was an efficient idea, but no one else seemed to think so. It was a good thing they didn't because the building was still in use. When they entered the building, they could hear the quiet chattering of children echo through the halls, Toby likened it to a horror movie as he followed closely behind Cabe. It was like a large maze of hallways, zigging and zagging every which way, and there was no possible way to tell from which direction the sound was coming from.

They needed to be absolutely quiet, which Toby found very difficult. If they could hear the people inside then the people inside could probably hear them, so they wanted to keep on the down low. The plan was to either get enough evidence and get out before being spotted, or almost be killed after being spotted while still trying to achieve the impossible goal of finding the evidence. The easier of the two was obviously not the latter, so they tried their best to fly under the radar Everyone was secretly hoping or praying that this wouldn't turn into something bigger than it already was. They needed safe and simple, but that never happens because they were Scorpion, and that is exactly why they were all silently praying.

* * *

Ralph paced around the room, waiting for Colby, while Sylvester still payed absolutely no mind to the situation. He seemed to be very involved in his work, he hadn't even addressed Ralph since he started. Either way, Ralph was still nervous that something bad was going to happen, he could feel it deep down in his gut. It made him want to be sick, but he probably shouldn't alert Sylvester.

Eventually there was a knock on the door and Ralph swung the door open. He recognized Colby and breathed a sigh of relief while pushing him out of the doorway, away from the garage.

"Wh-" he starts, but Ralph interrupts him by shoving the earpiece into his hand.

"Put this in and I will explain everything," Ralph said, putting in his own.

"Okay, you're the boss." Colby chuckled.


	23. The Other Side of Fear

"So what exactly did Sage do this time?" Colby asks with an amused lilt in his voice.

The ride started about pretty slow while Ralph got the hang of riding again. He has been practicing, but he still wasn't an expert in the art of skateboarding and he doubted he ever would be. Eventually, with a few instructions from Colby, he gets the hang of it and they cruise together side by side down the back streets.

"Well, we found out what happened to her when she was younger a few days ago and ever since then we have been working to figure out why she lost her memory. Eventually the team started piecing it together little by little and we were able to get most of the story of what happened to her. So just this morning, everyone but Sage, Sylvester and I headed to the warehouse where Toby's sure she was kept before she lost her memory. Then, all of a sudden Sylvester started arguing over the comms with Toby about something and Sage literally darts out the door with her skateboard," Ralph says, purposefully leaving out the part about the kiss.

He said it all so fast that Colby had a difficult time keeping up, he could barely understand what he had said. It didn't help that he was more focused on the way Ralph was so desperately worried about Sage, much more than he should have been.

"You have a thing for her don't you?" Colby smirks, glancing over at him. Ignoring everything he had just said.

"N-No," Ralph stutters. He wonders if Colby had magically found out about the kiss, or if Sage had taken note of his weird behavior over the past few days and passed them on to Colby. He had been trying his best to act normal around her, but maybe he was more obvious than he thought.

"Sure," Colby responds sarcastically. His face hardens and his voice drops down to a more serious tone as he shoots another glance at Ralph.

"You don't have to worry about her so much. Sage is tougher than most adults I've met. I found her running down the street with a stab wound in her side once. After awhile I just learned that there's no reason to worry about her over every little dangerous thing she does… because everything she does is dangerous," Colby laughs at Ralph's horror. He recovers quickly enough to respond.

"I'm not worried about her," Ralph huffed.

They were picking up speed as they went. Hopefully they would be able to catch up with Sage before she reached the warehouse, since she probably wasn't riding as fast as she could because of her injured foot. Even with their increasing speed though, Ralph knew there was a very slim chance of catching up to her in time.

"Fine," Colby sighs after about a minute of silence, "but I know you're lying about your feelings towards her. I also know you have that same amazing mind that Sage does. Neither of you like to admit that you have emotions, or special feelings towards anyone. You're much more open with that stuff, which I commend you for, but that's because you've had the opportunity to be taught what to do in certain social situations. Sage's never had that, so she's got no idea how to process any feelings she might have for you. I mean, she even struggles to communicate with me sometimes and I've been her best friend since like the second grade." Colby says, with an irritated sigh as he turns another corner.

"She has been getting much better since she's met you guys I will admit that, but I'm going to give you some advice before you make a stupid mistake...If you ever get the guts to ask her out, she WILL say 'no'".

"What!? You mean she doesn't like me? I thought you said she liked me," Ralph says, a little taken back by his blunt phrasing.

"No. She likes you alright, that I'm for sure." Colby laughs at his flustered face.

"Then why wouldn't she say yes?" Ralph asks, risking a glance over at Colby.

"Man, you geniuses are terrible with this kind of stuff. Sooner or later you'll figure her out, I promise," he chuckles. Ralph frowns. He was really hoping for a straight answer, or at least a tip for asking her out. Not that he was interested or anything. After all he was only 11.

* * *

The map Sage had glued in her head since she was a young girl was failing her at the worst possible moment. She didn't know why. By a young age she had every road and road sign memorized across the city. She's been everywhere, she knew every inch, every timed speed light and stop sign. It was almost instinct for her, but now that she needed it most it had betrayed her. She didn't like these newfound weaknesses in having emotions. If she wasn't so freaking anxious things would be fine, but her heart was getting in the way of her brain and she wasn't going to put up with it for much longer.

She knew she was close, she was almost positive, and it didn't take very long to find the big black van parked a block away from the building Toby had decided on. She didn't know what was going on in there. She didn't have any comms and no way for communication with the team. She didn't know what could have possible happened in the 15 minutes it took her to get there, but judging from the silence it could either be good or very very bad.

She jumped off the skateboard and hid it in some nearby bushes. She sneaked past the van, hoping to avoid the unwanted attention from the two women inside who would surely grab her by the arm and pull her inside if they found her. Not to mention the earful she would get afterwards. It would have been better than being at the garage though. Knowing what exactly was happening and what was being planned, but it wouldn't be enough for her. She had to be on the inside, she had to be there to make sure everything was okay.

* * *

A while after Colby and Ralph departed Sylvester eventually looked up from his computer. He was about to ask Ralph to help him break a certain code, but when he looked up at the couch they were gone. All. Gone. He checked in the loft, he checked towards the back of the garage, but there wasn't a trace of them anywhere. He sat back down in his chair, breathing heavily as he tried to calm his heart rate. He was a dead man.

"Toby and Paige are going to kill me" he groaned, dropping his head into his hands and giving one last desperate look around the garage.

"Wait! Why am I going to kill you?! Sylvester!" Paige yelled over the comms, and of course Sylvester had not turned off his comms. There was no getting out of it.

"Uhm. It...may be possible...that...Ralph and Sage went after you guys."

* * *

Toby was furious. His face reddened and he sucked in a breath to keep himself from lashing out at Sylvester for not being a responsible adult. It took most of his willpower to not question the genius on what exactly had happened, instead, it all came out in a frustrated growl. Thankfully though, Cabe hushed him and shot a hand out to cover his mouth. Toby silenced himself, concentrating back on the mission at hand. He told himself, the faster they got out of there, the faster he could yell at Sylvester and the faster they could find Sage and Ralph.

Cabe gestured to the wall beside them, pressing his ear to the cold grey stone lining every hall they had passed through. There was talking, not the indistinct mumbling they had heard since the moment they had walked into the building. There was something behind that wall.

Cabe looked up a ways to find another hall that must have led to the entrance of the room. There weren't many other possible entrances, because they had passed all the other potential places. He hugged the wall, just in case there was someone keeping guard. He pulled out his gun too, but just as a precaution of course.

Toby and Walter exchanged glances and followed Cabe's lead. They took a few steps, Cabe disappeared around the corner first, a couple steps before Toby, who also turned the corner. Walter glanced both ways down the halls before making the move to turn, but he heard something else. They were footsteps, fast ones, someone was running at a very high speed. Yet, each step they took was with very little noise, they were light on their feet and Walter could barely tell how close they were to them.

He was about to warn Cabe about the footsteps, but he turned around just in time to see Sage rounding the corner. Her blonde hair was tied back into a loose ponytail and the look of relief that spread across her face when she spotted Walter helped him relax. She was okay, they were okay. So far their cover had not been blown.

She eventually slowed to a soft jog until she reached him a few seconds later. She was close enough to touch, but Walter was more concentrated on the fact that she was there alone. That's when the gunfire went off. They both instinctively ducked as the bullets ricocheted off the stone walls with sparks flying as they hit. One. Two. Three. It wasn't stopping. They needed to get out of there.

He grabbed Sage and lifted her off the ground, despite her protests. He took off down the hall, away from the bullets. Thank goodness she was so tiny.

They made it a short ways until the gunfire stopped and Walter determined that it was safe enough to stop running. He put Sage back on her feet and took the time to examine her for any wounds she may have received. Sage pushed his hands away from her face.

"Uhm. I'm fine Walter," she said, looking back down the hallway where Walter had ran, "We need to find Toby and Cabe."

She was ready to run off again, but Walter grabbed ahold of her arm before she was able to do so. Making sure to keep his grip tight enough that she couldn't easily slip away from him. He wasn't going to let her run blindly back down that hallway, hoping that whoever had fired those weapons weren't going to do the same when they spotted her. He was familiar with that same reckless urge she was feeling, he had experienced it and acted on it far too many times.

He pressed a finger to his ear, in hopes to communicate with the others about what had just happened, but sadly there was no comm present.

"Crap, we've lost contact with the team." He cursed under his breath and wiped a hand down his face. Sage paused in her struggle and turned to look at him.

"Sage, you need to get to the van with Happy and Paige where it's safe," Walter said, releasing his hold on her wrist and settling his hand on her shoulder, while kneeling down to her level. He wasn't going to put her in danger if he didn't have to.

She pushed Walter's hands off her shoulders and took a step away from him. She was mad.

"No!" Walter sighed, he should have known better.

"Listen to me, Toby will kill me if he found out I let you help me wander around this building with killers inside. Not to mention Hap-"

"You don't get it do you?! All my life I have been searching for who I was, where I came from, or where I belong. I've been beaten, betrayed, almost killed because I was stupid enough to trust other people with my well being! I will not make the same mistake again. Not when I have so much at stake. I will find what happened to me, and I won't let the stupid mistake of trusting people get in the way again!" She yelled. She didn't care who heard and she didn't seem to think about the consequences of her shouts either.

Walter was definitely surprised by her sudden outburst, and he tried his best to calm her down.

"I don't know where in the world this is coming from, or when you started to not trust us again, but you need to know that we all care about you. You're apart of the team now Sage and it's my job to make sure everyone stays safe, that includes you. You can trust us Sage, I promise," Walter says, resting a hand back on her shoulder, standing back up to his full height. He cupped her cheek to wipe away a few lone tears that had slipped past Sage's barriers.

"I'll let you come with me, but you have to promise to stay by my side and do exactly as I say," Walter says.

* * *

Ralph and Colby finally made it to their destination just a couple minutes before the gunshots went off. Both Happy and Paige were standing outside of the van watching up and down the streets for any sign of the kids that had slipped past Sylvester. Before they could retreat back around the corner Paige spotted them and relief spread through her features.

"Oh Ralph, honey. What were you thinking?" Paige pulled her son into a big hug. Happy looked over at Colby, and around the corner they came from, she didn't see Sage.

"Where's Sage?" She asked, glaring over at Colby. He pointed over at the building a block down, and Happy nearly lost it.

She looked over at the building just before the sound of gunshots went off, and her heart sank deeper than it ever had before. Not a second after the second bullet fired, Colby took off at a sprint towards the building in the distance, ready to save Sage's butt once again.

Ralph leapt forward to follow, but Paige grabbed onto his arm and pulled him back towards her. There was no way he was leaving her sights anytime soon.

There were two more gunshots, and it was silent. Happy's hand went to her ear as she yelled into the comm.

"Toby! Toby! Answer me!"

She heard a cough, and a couple wheezes from both Cabe and Toby, that meant they were alive. That gave Happy a little bit of relief.

"We're good Hap. I'll just have a bad bruise tomorrow is all," Toby spoke over the comms and Happy smiled. There was no reason to worry. That's when she remembered Sage was in the building as well.

"Toby! Is Sage there with you?" Happy asked desperately. Hopefully she wasn't in any danger.

"What! She's in the building?!" That's when Toby started to panic.

"Crap! I can't leave Cabe here by himself! Sylvester I will personally kill you if something happens to Sage" Toby threatens through the comms as he tries his best to fix up Cabe's arm, holding the bullet. He had taken down two gunners in only three shots, and Toby was extremely grateful for his presence.

"I-I'm sorry. I looked away for two minutes and they were both gone," Sylvester stuttered.

While Happy and Toby continued to threaten Sylvester's life, Paige called out to Walter through the comms, but he wasn't answering.

"Where's Walter?!" Paige yells, turning back around to Happy and her son who was just about as anxious as she was.

"He's not here with us. I don't know where he went," Toby muttered through the comms, briefly looking around at his surroundings before going back to tending Cabe's small flesh wound.

"Hopefully he has Sage with him," he sighs to himself. This plan was going just about as good as any of their other plans, should they have expected anything different?

* * *

Sage calmed down a bit, and gave Walter a grateful look. He may have claimed to not be great with comforting people in the past, but he was doing a pretty okay job doing it now.

She saw something out of the corner of her eye and they widened when she saw a man holding a gun pointed straight towards them. Walter saw her panic and turned around to see what had caught her surprise. It couldn't have been anything good, and he was right. He immediately threw his hands up beside his head, followed closely by Sage. There wasn't a place to find cover, the nearest corner was a good 5 second run, more than enough time to fire a few bullets.

That's when they saw Colby sneak around the corner behind the nervous man with the weapon. They ignored him and tried their best to keep the gunner's attention away from Colby, they didn't want to give away his position.

"What are you doing in here?" the guy with the gun yelled. He was nervous and inexperienced, anyone could tell by the way the gun shook wildly in his hand. If he were a bit closer Sage could have had a chance of taking control of the situation, but that was up to Colby at this point.

He ran up on the guy and tackled him to the ground, knocking the gun out of his hand as he did so. He struggled with him on the ground as the man reached for the gun in front of him. Sage was just about to assist Colby, but they heard more yells and heavy footsteps headed their way, and Walter held her back from getting any closer.

Colby ignored Sage struggling against the grip Walter had on her. He looked Walter dead in the eye as he spoke his next words.

"Get her out of here O'Brien!"

Walter heard the footsteps getting louder and it didn't make much sense to just stand around and wait for them to catch up to them. He made the split second decision and swept Sage up in his arms before taking off down the stoned hallway.

* * *

Toby had Cabe propped up against a wall in the hallway, right outside a big doorway with a lock. He stepped over the men Cabe had shot and gagged earlier. He looked for keys in the guards pockets, but he didn't find any that would unlock the set of doors in front of him. So Happy helped walk him through picking the lock. It took a couple minutes, but he eventually got it open.

"Cabe, you need to get back to the van, you're in no condition to keep going," Toby instructed. He hadn't opened the door yet, he didn't know what might have lied inside, and he didn't dare swing it open until he was sure it was at least a little bit safe.

"No can do Doc. I'm going whether you say so or not. There's no way you can handle yourself on your own in here," Cabe said with a grunt as he stood to his own two feet by himself, "I've had a lot worse than a bullet in a shoulder".

"Suit yourself," Toby shrugged, pushing open the door just a crack so he could peek inside.

"Oh my God," he gasped, pushing the door the rest of the way open. It was everything Sage had said. Right there in front of them.

All the children sitting on the floor with books in their laps. Some were at an old molded table in the corner while others laid in their beds at the far end of the room. They had no color in their faces, besides the smudged dirt and grime. They were too skinny and small to be healthy, and both men found the entire situation sickening. To the left there was a large, bolted metal door, the one Sage must have been describing in her dreams.

"What is it? What did you find?" Sylvester questions over the comms after hearing the silence on the other end. They were too in shock to respond.

When they step further into the room every child seems to cower away in a corner. Some pull bedsheets over their heads. They wanted to put as much distance between them and the unknown intruders as possible.

"It's okay guys. We aren't going to hurt you," Toby whispers softly, stepping cautiously further into the room, but the kids don't seem to believe him and they only scurry further away from him.

* * *

Walter kept running until he was back where they had last seen Toby and Cabe. He rounded the corner, only to see the two men tied and gagged in the corner, the other two must have been safe. He put Sage down on her feet and kept a firm hold on her arm because she knew she was going to try and go back to Colby.

"We have to go back and get Colby. He needs our help!" she cries, letting just a couple tears fall down her cheeks.

"He should be fine. You're the one that needs to be safe," Walter lies, and Sage can easily see through it.

"I can't believe you! You're thinking about the greater good! I thought you were more human than that," she yelled at him, pulling against his grip. She needed to get to Colby, he needed her help. He couldn't defend himself from all those men on his own.

"No, you need to listen." Walter kneels down to Sage's level once again. "If we would have stayed we wouldn't have been able to help. We just need to hope that he got away before they got closer and caught him. There is nothing we could have done."

"You don't understand. The last thing we did was fight and he's my first ever friend. He was always there for me when I needed him most, and now I'm not there when he needs me," Sage cries, the tears were streaming freely now, "If he die thinking I'm mad at him, I will never forgive myself." Walter's face falls, and he pulls her into a semi-awkward hug, but Sage doesn't care.

"But at least he'll die knowing that he kept you safe and that you're okay," Walter whispers, giving her a pat on the back, before she pulls back quickly. Wiping at her nose and the tears that fell. She didn't like crying at all.

"Sorry to ruin the moment kids, but you're going to want to see this," Cabe says, gesturing for the two of them to follow him through the door he and Toby had entered earlier.

Sage runs up to him and locks her arms around his waist, she was so glad that he was okay. She took note of his injured shoulder and the way it was dressed, which meant Toby must have been around there somewhere..

"Where's Toby? Is he okay?" Cabe pats her back and nods. He gestures through the doors and Sage releases her hold on him and races through the double doors. There Toby was, standing in the center of the room, gazing out at all the children cowering away from him.

She runs to him and Toby turns around to see her and pure relief overtakes his face as he stretches out his arms and swoops her up into a tight hug. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She felt so afraid when she realized that he or Cabe could have been seriously injured during the shootoff.

"You need to stop running off like that. You're gonna give me a literal heart attack," Toby whispered into her hair. He was just glad she was safe, he wouldn't get mad at her until later that evening at some point. Right now he just relished in the fact that he knew Sage, Ralph and Walter were safe.

Toby lowered himself closer to the floor and Sage's feet detached from his waist and rested on the floor. She reluctantly unwrapped herself from him. She really did like his hugs, they were her favorite.

"Happy's worried sick. Why don't you tell her you're alright. She's been yelling in my ear nonstop," he pauses for a moment, struggling to get the earpiece out, "Geez woman! Relax, I'm giving her the comm," Toby tells Happy through the comm, then handing it over to Sage.

* * *

Happy talked to Sage through the comms and Ralph watched as a large smile grew on her face. He could tell she was beginning to relax again. He gazed over at his mother who was speaking to Walter over the comms, she was so happy as well, but Ralph just couldn't stop focusing on the fact that Colby's line had gone dead silent. The last thing he heard from his end was a gunshot and a grunt and that was never a good sign.

* * *

"Hi Happy," Sage's voice lacked its usual confidence and humor. She wasn't in the mood on putting on that facade, she had too many other things to focus on. Such as the fact that she was standing in the room where all her nightmares had taken place. As Happy griped at her over the comms she gazed around at the groups of children, and surprisingly it didn't affect her as much as she would have expected

Toby watched over Sage as she studied each young child in the room as she let Happy continue giving Sage a piece of her mind. He couldn't help but notice the way each of the young children seemed to perk up at the sight of Sage. They were curious.

Cabe and Walter were keeping watch at the door, while the other two looked around the room for any clues.

While Sage was speaking to Happy, a little boy about eight or nine years old walked right up to Sage. There was a small glint of recognition in his eyes as he tugged at her sleeve.

"Serena?" He asks. Sage whips around to face him and in one horrifying moment every memory comes flying back. Every last one.

"Ai-Aidan?"


	24. Walk Alongside Me Daddy

"Serena! Where have you been?" Aidan was completely oblivious to everything around him. He didn't take note of Toby in the room or the others, and he didn't seem fazed by his living conditions. He was absolutely cheery, and his speech was not something you would expect from a child his age.

Toby watched the exchange with a confused frown, while Sage stood there with wide eyes. Her arms were stiff at her side, and her back straightened significantly, along with her legs. She had trouble willing any part of her to move. Her memories came flowing back. Now she remembered Aidan, her best friend, and the one she promised to keep safe for as long as she possibly could. She remembered all the other kids, and what Oscar would do for in secret when the mean man wasn't watching. He would often sneak food into the room at night so everyone could get a proper meal, he would even make sure that all their wounds were taken good care of, even if he was the cause for them.

It only took Sage a minute before her mind was able to properly process the information. Things cleared and puzzle pieces fitted together almost perfectly. Things made sense now.

She wasn't happy about what her thoughts had given her, but she was glad she knew everything that made her who she was. A wide grin split across her face and she rushed towards Aidan, enveloping him in a big hug. She was so happy to see him again, she remembered who he finally was, that empty space in her heart was finally filled. She knew what had been missing all that time. The young boy stood a foot shorter than Sage, and his health was far from good, but he was still alive and kicking.

Cabe poked his head in the room and called out to Toby who was still carefully watching the two.

"Toby! Homeland agents are on their way to retrieve the kids, look around a bit, and see what you find," Cabe said.

He nodded his agreement and left Sage with Aidan and the other small kids that had started to gather around the two of them. They seemed much more interested in Sage than they had been with him. He carefully stepped over the scattered books and papers. He picked a thick, binded book off the floor and gazed at the title. 'Lost Masterpieces of the Twentieth Century'. It was definitely an odd book for a young child to be reading. He quickly flipped through the many chapters with wide eyes, it was such a complex read. Something near to what he read on a regular basis.

He put the book back on the ground and looked around at the others that were carelessly lying open on the stone floor. There was one about Brain Development and diseases, along with a thick book about lost algorithms. Others had helpful pictures, some did not. It was difficult to believe that any of the children there were capable of reading books such as those.

He turned his gaze away from the books and directed it to the heavy metal door on the other side of the room. It was most definitely locked and he was almost positive that it was the door which led to the children lying in the beds that Sage had described.

Then he turned his attention to another door in the far corner of the room. It was hidden by the shadows, the overhead lights didn't quite make it far enough to illuminate the corner. He couldn't determine where it led to, or what the use could have possibly been for. All he knew was that it was definitely unfriendly and not something he should mess with. He turned away momentarily, but then he heard the sound of someone working at the door knob. His eyes widened as he watched the knob slowly rotate to the right. He didn't waste any time in snatching Sage up in his arms and running to the exit. He could hear the moaning of the door opening as he rounded the corner.

He made it before the door had completely opened. He was met with the curious stares of Cabe Walter and Happy. She had apparently snuck into the building while he and Sage were in the room, but he didn't have any time to discuss it. They had more important matters at hand. He set Sage to her feet and spun around to look back in the room. Aidan was still standing in the middle of the dark space, watching them with a confused stare, before turning his attention to the two men entering the room.

The distance between the two entrances was too great to get a good look at them, but Toby was pretty positive one of the men was Oscar judging by the bundle of red hair that sat atop his head. He couldn't quite make out the face of the other man yet. It must have been the guy that spoke to Sage in her dream.

Oscar was wearing all black. Jacket, jeans and a headful of crazy hair. While the man next to him appeared to be much more sophisticated. He had jet black hair gelled back and the long white coat he was wearing almost reached his knees. He couldn't have been any taller than 5'5' and he didn't appear to be menacing in the least.

Toby waved his hand at the others, gesturing for them to come and take a peek inside the room. Everyone moved so they could peek at the two men from behind the guard of the door. The man had yet to show his face, but they could see his angry gestures as he yelled at Oscar beside him.

"Oscar! I told you to secure the area," the man growled as he moved out of the darkened corner. His face ws getting more and more clear with every step he took. Happy's face was ghost white as she watched Oscar move about behind the small man, picking up books as he went and shooing children off to their beds with a quiet motion with his hands.

"I-I'm sorry sir. My men are looking for the intruders as we speak." Oscar appeared to be nervous and Toby knew that he was intimidated by the small man. Even though he was almost positive Oscar could take him out with a single punch.

The small man spun around to face Oscar, giving the team a full view of his face and this time Sage wasn't the only one that recognized him.

"Good. I have another child coming in. Setup Aidan and tell him to get rid of any trace of them. Hopefully this test will be a success. If not, I've wasted another year on a useless child." He sighed and turned back around, facing the rows of cots at the opposite end of the room

Cabe, Walter, and Happy looked over at Toby to gauge his reaction. They all knew that it wasn't going to end well. He was trying desperately to calm his anger and refrain from marching into the room and confronting the man and maybe greeting him with a swift blow to the jaw. Happy reached over to wrap herself around his arm, but it only fueled the fire.

He jumped up and stormed into the room, eyes set on the small man in the white coat. He wasn't one to usually have a bad temper, but in this instance his anger was beyond controllable at this point. He was hurt and broken because of the man in that room and his only wish is for him to suffer through pain as well. He deserved it after what he had done to him. Dr. Barnes was his name, a name Toby was all too familiar with.

The doctor turned around to face Toby and didn't seem the least bit worried, or even surprised at his presence. Oscar stood back and did nothing as Toby approached. He just watched, just as the team was doing from behind the door.

"Ah, Doctor Curtis was it? It is so good to see you again. What's it been, 12 years?" He asks innocently, with a growing smirk.

Toby's eyes burned with a deep hatred as he stood in front of the doctor. Just a couple steps and he would be in his face. He growled at the man's cockiness, he didn't have any sympathy for the terrible things he had done.

"11 years, two months, 3 weeks, and 3 days to be exact," Toby growls at him. He balled his fists at his sides, he wanted to keep in control for as long as possible.

"I should have known you'd remember that unhappy time," he chuckled. Toby lost it, he couldn't keep his anger at bay any longer. So he swung, landing a hit to his jaw and sending his sprawled out across the floor.

"YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" Toby yelled, towering over the man. His normally calm and pleasant demeanor was replaced by an all - consuming anger. His nostrils flaring, his eyes closing into thin slits, while his mouth quivered in an attempt to prevent the unseemly words from spewing out. Instead they were replaced by the slurring words spewing into space like a volcano releasing its pent up emotions into the darkness. He was beyond furious at this point.

Barnes on the other hand, was calm and undeterred by the psychiatrists demeanor. His nose bled and the bright red liquid fell over his lip, reaching his chin.

"No, you must have it wrong Dr. Curtis." He grinned, allowing the deep red blood to seep past his lips and spread through his pristine white teeth. Giving him a deranged appearance, which fit his personality almost perfectly. He was enjoying the pain he was causing, especially Toby's. He found joy in it.

The team rushed in when they saw Toby's hands close into tight fists once again. He crouched forward, daring him to any other words that could have the same effect as the ones that had torn his heart into fragments all those years ago. He was ready to swing at him again. Sage reeled him back to his feet before he could send another fist flying towards Barnes. Happy stuck by Cabe's side, as far away from Oscar as she could. He recognized her in an instant and he wouldn't stop glancing her way, but he was never able to make eye contact.

Barnes glanced at Sage, and his smirk grew impossibly wider. Then he looks back at Toby with a cocked head and raised brows.

"I'm really surprised you haven't figured it out yet. Now I'm really beginning to doubt that you're a genius. Although your daughter was very smart, sl it is a possi-" He was cut off by Toby grabbing his collar and lifting him from the ground and proceeding to shove him against a wall. He ignored Sage's pleas for him to stop as she hung onto his arm, trying desperately to pull him away from Barnes.

He was no longer in control, his anger was getting the best of him. Years upon years of hidden heartbreak and wretched feelings had finally built up to its inevitable breaking point. It was toppling over, right on top of him and he didn't know how to deal with it. He couldn't remember a time when he felt this deep a hatred towards another human being, the urge to bring him pain, just as he had given him was almost overcoming all his senses.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?!" He screamed, "WHERE IS SHE?!" He grabbed ahold of his collar and shoved him into the wall once again, but this time he let him slide to the floor.

Happy had seen enough at that point, she didn't like seeing him like that. She ignored her husband in the corner and rushed towards Toby. She placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him backwards with Sage's help. His eyes were raw and vulnerable, something no one had ever seen from him. Happy was desperate to get him away from the man causing him so much pain, but Toby simply grabbed ahold of her wrist resting on his chest and didn't let go He laced his fingers with hers, but he didn't turn to look at her. His eyes were set on Barnes.

"Toby. Please stop," she begged him, but Toby didn't want to listen. He just stared at the man in front of him, gritting his teeth from the untamed anger boiling inside him. He was angry, he was hurt and he wanted answers

The evil and sickly smile never left the man's face, which only fueled Toby's anger, and it was starting to fuel Cabe's as well. He didn't like what he was seeing, but he knew Toby needed to deal with it on his own, if he needed assistance Cabe would have been more than delighted to smash the man's face in.

"Tobias," Barnes said while standing to his feet, "I only did what was right. Besides, I thought you would be at least a little grateful that I let your daughter go." He dusted off his clean clothes and stood up straighter. Never losing eye contact with Toby.

Toby watched his every movement, trying to catch the smallest hint of a lie, anything that could convince him not to trust what the man said, but he couldn't. Toby hoped it was the truth, but at the same time he knew it couldn't possibly be, the man wasn't capable of showing mercy. It was all for his own personal gain. He had had enough of his antics, he wanted answers.

So he came forward so forcefully and quickly that it knocked both Happy and Sage back. He grabbed onto Barnes shirt again, and pushed him against the wall harder than the previous two times. He wasn't going to show any mercy on him, he didn't deserve the luxury of his kindness.

At that point Oscar stepped forward, ready to intervene at any point, but Barnes only waved him away.

"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! NOW!" Toby screamed again, bringing his knee up to nail him in the gut. Barnes doubled over and worked on catching his breath. When he did, he looked up at Toby with his bruised face, showing off that blood soaked grin of his.

"She's right behind you Tobias." He answered

Toby spun around to face Happy and Sage. His eyes lingered on the young girl that had won over his heart in only a few short months. She was there, right in front of him. It wasn't possible.

"LIAR!" He screamed, spinning back around to throw Barnes against the wall again. Barnes only grins.

"So I take it you aren't satisfied with her. Were you wanting someone better Tobias?" He asked innocently, even though he was anything but. Barnes turned his gaze towards Happy, "It's terrible that he doesn't even accept his own daughter. Isn't it?"

Walter, Cabe and Happy looked between Toby and Sage just as a look of realization hit them, and their jaws dropped. Even Sage was utterly confused at Barnes' claim. Paige, Ralph, and Sylvester were all hearing the entire exchange over comms, no one saw it coming. It hit everyone like a rock. No one could even fathom what both Toby and Sage could be thinking.

"Hear that child? Your own father doesn't want you. Just like I told you," he shouted at Sage, the cocky smirk returning. Sage looked up at him with wide eyes, then she looked over at Toby, the look on his face was her answer. She didn't need to know anything else. She took off running, she ran out the door Barnes and Oscar had entered through and she didn't dare look back. Toby watched her leave, his entire expression was glazed over, it was a shock to him he didn't know what to do or even what to say. He could only watch as his own daughter ran away from him. It hurt him more than he would ever be willing to admit.

Oscar ended up being the first to run after her. Then Happy ran, she wasn't going to let anything happen to her. She needed someone there to help console her, after dropping a bomb like that, she didn't know what to expect for a reaction.

"I think you should chase after her. After all she is your daughter," Barnes said with a cock of his head and a smile. He knew exactly what he was doing to them.

Toby's entire being seemed to drop, his face was blank, his body didn't move. He couldn't comprehend it. After all these years, his daughter was actually alive, living in the same city as him even. Going through all these terrible things, and he was never there to help her or to protect her. She was all alone in the world, thinking that no one loved her. Except, he always loved her, the only problem was they hadn't met, until one day, when fate decided to finally take hold and reunite them as father and daughter. Only if he knew at the time. He should have known.

Things started to sink in, and Toby shook his head in disbelief. He backed away from Barnes and his face paled. This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out.

"You set all of this up. You're trying to get in my head. What did i ever do to you to deserve this?!" He yelled, dropping to the floor. It was too much, it was all beginning to be too much.

"It's nothing you could of helped. You couldn't help but be a genius."

* * *

"Hey!" Oscar was actively running down the maze of hallways in an attempt to find Sage.

He found her curled up against the wall, crying into her knees. She was trying to make herself seem as small as possible, thinking the smaller she was the smaller the problem would be. He'd seen her do it a million times when she was little and upset, it broke his heart nearly every time. He sat down across from her.

"Hey" he said softly.

Sage looked up at him. She recognized him and out of instinct she tried to back away from him, but her movement was halted by the cold stone wall behind her.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise," he raised his hand up beside his head.

When she realized he didn't mean any harm, she curled back in on herself and continued to cry. She knew it was stupid to love someone again, think of them as family. She was almost sure that they loved her too, after all they had told her and all they had done, she was so positive that they were what a family was supposed to be like. She had always wanted one as a child, that was her one wish while she was trapped in the warehouse. She didn't even know what it was, but deep down she knew it was special and she knew it meant love and she wanted that. Then she had it, it was just handed to her like a present and it was the best gift she ever received. Then in just a few words, the truth was revealed and it was no longer what she thought it was. It was only a lie. She should have trusted her instinct, she should have known that Toby never really cared about her the way she thought he did.

"I knew he didn't really care about me," she mumbled aloud.

"Of course-" Oscar started, but Sage was quick to interrupt him.

"No! You don't get it. My whole life I've been beaten and betrayed, used and played with like a toy. Then when I met Toby and the rest of the team, I thought they were the same way, but that's when I started to trust him, and I felt safe for the first time in my life. It was like I actually belonged somewhere finally, I had someone I could depend on and I was happy. Something I was never very familiar with before, and I thought of them like my family. I'd never had a family before but I was so sure that that was what it was supposed to feel like. Toby was like my dad, I saw him as my dad and Happy was like my mom and for once in my life I actually felt normal. I was like every other kid, I had a dad that teased me and told funny jokes and I had a mom that told me stories and taught me how to cook and change a tire. I even had a grandpa and aunts and uncles. It was perfect and I never wanted it to end," Sage's tears stopped falling and she smiled at the memories, before her mouth fell back into a frown and she continued speaking.

"I was actually hoping that my real parents were dead or they didn't want me, just so I could stay with them. Then I found out that I really am his daughter, and I saw the way he looked at me, he didn't want to believe it. He loved the daughter, that he was so sure was dead, more than he loved me. His actual daughter...And I sort of get it, he was hoping for more in a daughter, but I thought that after all we've been through he would at least try to hide it, to at least spare my feelings, but he didn't even do that. He didn't have to say anything, I could see it in his eyes, he was so sad when Barnes told him I was his daughter." She broke down again.

"Listen. You're wrong, and I'm going to tell you why." Oscar sat back and leaned against the wall, while always maintaining eye contact with her.

"We kidnapped you the day you were born and I was in the hospital undercover as a doctor, assigned to keep an eye on your father to make sure he didn't get in the way of the job. I watched your dad sit outside your mother's door the entire time, he didn't move from the chair. He didn't even get up to get food or to get a drink, a nurse had to practically force feed him because he was so worried about you. I'm not going to tell you the whole story, because he should be the one to tell you all that happened, but he almost lost it when he got the news about you. I watched him breakdown right there in the hallway, it was something I never wanted to witness again. It was one of the most painful things I had ever witnessed. He may not have thought it was you at first, but he loved the idea of you so much before he even got to see you. Trust me when I say that he doesn't care how you look or how you act, he will love you for who you are, because he is YOUR father. His love for you hasn't changed because he found out who you really are. I saw the look and on his face when Barnes told him about you too, and it's not that he didn't want to believe it, it was the fact that you were really his. That was hard for him to believe. Having a daughter like you was probably is more than he ever wanted, and he just didn't know what to do."

Sage looked up at him with a sneer.

"What do you know? All you ever did was beat me."

"And I never wanted to do that, to any of you...Why do you think I risked my life to get you out of here? If Barnes ever found out that you were actually a genius your beatings would have been more brutal and you would have never been able to escape and find your father."

"So what? None of it matters if my own father doesn't love me."

"He does love you," Oscar insists.

"Really?" she asks sarcastically. "Then why didn't he come to comfort me, instead of my own kidnapper? He should have been the one to explain himself, not you. He's got a mouth, he uses it all the time, he might as well put it to some good use, but he didn't. Why didn't Happy, or Cabe, or even Walter come to comfort me? Why didn't any of them come, huh? Exactly, they don't care about me, they never did. If they did then I wouldn't be sitting here being comforted by you. They're just like everyone els-" she was interrupted by Happy. She emerged from around the dark corner, and into the hallway they were sitting in. She was not definitely not happy.

"If you say anything else about us using you or us not loving you, I will slap you so hard you'll wish we didn't!" she growls out, she was pissed.

"You-you heard all that?" Sage asked with wide eyes.

"Yep, and so did everyone else," she said, tapping on the comm in her ear then gesturing to Sage. That's when she remembered the comm in her own ear. It was Toby's comm, the one he had let her use to talk to Happy because she was worried. She never gave it back to him.

Then Cabe and Walter came in behind her Happy, followed by Paige and Ralph. They came as soon as Homeland retrieved Dr. Barnes and the others. Sylvester was on skype on Walters tablet, smiling at her through the screen. They were all there, except for the person she wanted to see most.

"Wh-where's Toby?" She asked, glancing around the group surrounding her. That's when Toby came from around the corner, looking down at his feet and his hands clasped behind his back as he walked towards her.

Sage's eyes watered up as she looked up at him from the floor. She stood up to face him, and he only said two words, laced with worry and misery.

"I'm sorry."


	25. Lost Time is Never Found

She didn't care about the tears anymore and she didn't care who saw. She had no reason to care any more. The barrier she had built up all her life had finally been defeated and let loose the tears. There was nothing but raw emotion in her eyes, she was hurt and dejected and there was nothing she could do to level it out.

She gazed up at Toby as the burning tears ran down her red cheeks. He hadn't made a move towards her. He simply tightened his jaw and dropped his head, he didn't make any effort to comfort her. The rest of the team waited with growing anticipation. He was supposed to rush forward and swing her up in his arms and hold her tight, spouting out how much he loved her and how much he missed her, but he didn't. He stood there, looking just as helpless as Sage. They were both hurting and in that moment, he wasn't Toby anymore, he wasn't the man that anyone there had ever known.

Oscar stood to his feet and moved behind Sage, he wanted to make as much distance between him and Cabe as he could. When Cabe noticed him, he stepped forward with the cuffs in hand, but Sage cut him off.

"No. You can't!" She growled out. Baring her teeth as she suppressed a sob and another surge of tears from escaping.

"Sage I have to." Cabe reached out a hand to her shoulder while speaking in a calm voice.

She was quick to swat his hand away with a grimace. She spun around to face Oscar, she didn't want him to go just yet. He may have done bad things and he did hurt her, but Sage didn't forget all the good things he did for her either. He reached out a hand to her shoulder, much like Cabe had done, and gave her a sad smile.

"It's alright kid," he stepped around her, slowly making his way towards Cabe. Before he could get far, Sage latched onto his arm and tried pulling him back towards her.

"No! You can't leave me yet! You saved me, you didn't break any of your promises, you always told me the truth! You don't deser-" Sage was cut off by him when he pushed her off of him with a harsh shove. He didn't bother concealing the anger in his voice as he spoke either.

"No! I am a bad man! You can't trust me, I'll only hurt you." He glared at her, but there was no bite behind it. Sage glared back at him, she wasn't fazed by his harsh demeanor.

"You've hurt me, and others yes, but it was never willingly," she argued. Oscar dropped his gaze to the ground, shaking his head and pressing his palms to his face.

"You need to stop. You know you're not thinking straight." He growled out at her. It wasn't that difficult for him to appear menacing, but of course Sage wasn't buying any of it. She was still putting up a fight. She was just about to bark out a harsh remark when Toby's sharp voice broke through with a demanding tone.

"Stop it Sage." His head was no longer dropped to the ground, but his hands were still dug deeply in his pockets. Sage turned his way to look at him with ag glare. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh really. Give me a good reason then." She scowled. Any trace of the old tears were gone. Her eyes were no longer expressing the betrayal she had felt, it was now replaced by her irritation and anger.

Toby maintained eye contact for a few measly seconds before dropping his gaze back to the floor. He couldn't watch her looking at him like that. He could see the all encasing pain behind the anger, she was suffering because of him and he didn't know how to fix it. He lifted a hand to rub at the back of his neck and he glanced around the at the stone walls encasing them in the cramped hallway. He didn't have an answer to give her, not when she was watching him like that.

While Sage was distracted Oscar had slipped past Sage and made it close enough to Cabe for him to slap the metal cuffs around his wrists. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling to him. When Sage heard the 'click' of the cuffs she her entire face dropped and she spun around.

"No!" She cried, lunging out towards him, but Happy held her back. She wrapped a strong arm around her waist and pulled the young girl into her chest. She struggled against her grip, but Happy kept a firm hold as Cabe walked Oscar down the hall after sending her an apologetic smile.

While Sage attempted to escape, all while allowing the tears to come streaming back through her eyes, Toby walked up to them slowly. He knelt down in front of her so they could be face to face. It took most of his strength not to break out into tears either as he watched the agony in Sage's expression. She was so helpless as she threw herself every which way in an attempt to escape the grip. Her sobs were audible now and the tears were heavier than before. She was desperate to get away from him, to get away from everything that had just transpired over the past hour.

It was difficult for any of them to watch. Ralph had to turn away from the scene, he pressed his face into his mother's side as he let the few tears soak her shirt. Paige balled her hand in Ralph's shirt, while resting the other atop his head. Her lip quivered and tears shone in her eyes as she pressed her eyelids together tightly, she couldn't imagine how Toby or Sage must have been feeling. Sylvester had signed off of Skype soon after Sage's second breakdown, he couldn't take it, and Walter didn't know what to do with how he was feeling. It reminded him of the betrayal he felt when Cabe had lied to him. It wasn't a happy feeling to say the least.

Toby cupped her cheeks with his hands to steady her. He wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs as he was knelt in front of her. Sage stopped her struggling, but her jaw was still tightly clenched and her eyelids were pressed tightly shut. She couldn't look at him, not yet.

"You-you don't love me," she choked out, just loud enough for Toby and Happy to hear her. She opened her eyes for a second before closing them back together tightly. One look at Toby's crestfallen face sent her into a flurry of more tears and more sobs.

"I waited for you to come rescue me everyday for five years, just because Oscar always told me that you loved me, and that you would come find me one day. I believed him, and I used that fact just to make it through every painful day. I fully believed that I would one day find you and we'd be one of those families, that I'd heard so much about. That was the only thing that kept me going. And-and now I find out who you are and what happened, and you-you don't-." She couldn't even finish what she was going to say. Her throat was raw and her eyes were beginning to sting, everything about the situation was painful.

"No, you don't understand sweetheart," Toby says, lifting her chin so she could look at him as he spoke. She saw his eyes, she saw it all in his eyes. He was telling her the truth.

"Then make me understand," she pleaded. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor and Happy's let go of her hold on her. Toby dropped his gaze once again, he was beginning to find it very difficult maintaining eye contact. He couldn't even decide which words to use, he didn't know how to explain how he felt, the words just weren't there. He always knew what to say, in every situation, whether it was snarky or polite, he always had something to say, but now… there was nothing, no words.

It was one of the only times Happy had ever seen him truly at a loss for words. She purses her lips and gives them both a reassuring pat on the back before turning back to the team. As much as she didn't want to go, she knew that it was best for the two of them to work it out on their own. There was no need for her and the team to be present.

"You guys work things out, we will be back in the room helping Homeland." She waves for the other three to follow her, and they all eventually disappear around the corner. They were all alone.

"Tell me why. Please." Sage couldn't control her sobs any more, not like she was controlling them before. She looked up at Toby and she saw the silent tears falling down his cheeks too. It had been a while since he last cried, it was actually the fifth anniversary of his daughter, Sage's, 'death'. That had already been a hard year for him, and things didn't look like they would be getting much better. But now, she was there, right in front of him. She had been there for the past few months and he didn't even know it.

"You don't know how hard this is on me," he starts, "Finding out the truth about your mother... and you," Toby says, looking up at her. His eyes were so dead, he was dead. He was void of any emotion except for the dried tears on his cheeks, it was his poker face. He had gotten too good at it over the years, and now he just used it as a barrier.

"You're right, I don't know. That's why you need to tell me!" Sage grabbed his hands and gripped them in her smaller ones.

"I love you so much, I need you to know that. I loved you before I found out you were my daughter and I love you even more now that I know. I'm not disappointed that you're my daughter...at all. I'm just upset that you couldn't have someone better suited as a father." Toby holds her small hands, they were so tiny compared to his large ones, he could only imagine how small they must have been when she was a baby. He rubs his thumbs across her knuckles, tightening his grip on her almost as if he's scared she would run away.

"What are you talking about?! You're like the best dad I could have asked for," she laughed out loud, "Sure you're a bit of a jerk, but you still care about people. You are probably one of the first people I have ever felt remotely safe around. Why do you think I was so upset when I thought you didn't like me. You need to stop treating yourself like garbage and thinking you aren't good enough for anyone! Well news flash dad! You're the best thing that ever happened to me!" She screamed at him, how could he have possibly thought of such an absurd thing like that. She saw his face through her own tears, he was numb.

He was recalling the day he spent waiting outside the hospital room for his baby to be born. He sat there with his head in his hands and a catch in his throat. He forgot to drink or eat, he didn't care, he just wanted the good news that his child had been delivered safely, and he had them softly cooing in his arms. He had been waiting for that day for the past 7 months, and it had finally came, but there was no good news for him. The doctor came out with a blank stare to deliver the news of both his daughter and Hazel's death. Of course, he didn't believe it at first. He stood there with a blank stare on that day, watching the doctor's every move. Just waiting for his face to twitch in just a way so he knew that he was lying, but it was already too late. His head was clouded with an overpowering agony as the truth of his daughter's fate sunk in. He didn't catch the sly grin of the doctor as he fell to his knees right there in the hallway, crying into his hands like a child as the doctor walked away. That day was the start of no return.

It was the day he lost complete control of his gambling addiction. Every night consisted of late night poker games, coming home with only a bruised lip and black eye if he was lucky. It was the day where he realized that he no longer had a family, he didn't have anyone to care for and he didn't have anyone to care for him in return. He was alone. It was the day his childhood fear had been proven true. He didn't deserve anything good out of the world. He almost had the happiness too, but then it was all turned upside down by the young girl he never even got to see. It was the day he began hiding his true emotions behind a sarcastic and rude facade. It was the day that he would never be able to forget.

Then he met Scorpion, and they helped him get through it all. They didn't know they were doing it directly, they just helped him cope, and realized that someone out there needed him, and he wasn't alone in the world. Then there was Happy, the woman he never knew he needed. She was his new addiction and she was what kept him going in life, she's what made him finally get his act together and be somebody. Falling in love with her was the hardest and most rewarding thing he had ever done, and he would stick by her till his dying day.

Then, by pure coincidence, Sage fell into his life. Sage, his daughter... she was his daughter, more than he could ever ask for. The daughter whose first steps were never witnessed by those she loved and whose first words were never 'Daddy' or 'Momma', because the young one didn't have any idea what it could have meant. The child deprived of a parent's love for so long she thought she no longer deserved it. She was the lost daughter that he never got to see grow up. She was there, kneeling right in front of him with tears streaming down her cheeks. Those were all memories he would never be able to get back, but he could make some new ones. He just had to try.

"I- I just thought that I would never get to see you again." He looked up at her face and cradled her cheeks in his hands. "You were my baby girl, and you were taken away from me."

Sage couldn't take it anymore. She let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, and held him tight. She curled her fists around his shirt and pressed her forehead into his neck and taking a few deep breaths. Letting the familiar scent envelop her.

"I love you so much," she whispered. He wrapped his own arms around her frame engulfing her in his safety and warmth. He was her rock, and she never wanted to let go. She cried into his shirt and tightened her grip around his shirt.

"I can't believe you're really alive." He pulled away for only a moment and reached out to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. "I love you so much." He pulled her back towards him and kissed the side of her head.

"I-I love you too," she whispered again, readjusting her grip to pull him closer to her. They sat there for a couple more minutes just enjoying the moment, before Toby pulled away and stood to his feet. He picked her up and held her in his arms, as she rewrapped her arms around his neck. He settled her on his right hip and gave her another kiss on the forehead.

"Let's go help the team," he suggested with a smile. She nodded and layed her head on his shoulder as he walked back down the maze of dark hallways.

* * *

Happy saw Cabe speaking to Oscar, who was leaned up against the wall. She scowled and politely dismissed herself from the detective who had took her statement. She walked up to the two and asked Cabe if she could speak to Oscar for a couple minutes while Cabe helped out the other agents.

"Alright kid, just don't hurt him though," he said, releasing his hold on Oscar's wrist. He gave her one last look before walking away, to ensure she understood that she shouldn't cause the man any pain.

"Happy! You don't know how good it is to see you baby," he sighed once Cabe had put a good distance between them. "I didn't know you were still in LA." He tried reaching out to hug her with handcuffs. Happy scowled at his advances and slapped him, hard. Her palm made contact with his cheek, making a loud, satisfying stumbled back into the wall, he was definitely not expecting that.

"I can't believe you. This is the exact reason I left. You're a cruel bastard," she growled out, grabbing him by the collar in the process.

"Woah now, slow down. I've saved more than 10 kids lives. I do not do this out of my own free will," he gestures around the room and becomes defensive. He lifts his hands beside his head and directs a glare towards Happy.

"Save the innocent act for the police," she snapped at him.

"I'm no-" but Happy cuts him off.

"First you mess with me, then I find out you were the one who caused my girl all these problems. Now you're trying to act all innocent? I hope-" then it's Oscar's turn to cut her off.

"What do you mean 'my girl'?" He asks, narrowing his eyes in suspicion, "Is she your daughter too?" His eyes widen, and he lowers his voice an octave, "did you cheat on me?"

Happy inwardly groaned at the comment and ignored the last statement.

"She'll be my daughter soon enough," she answers. Oscar cocks his head in confusion.

"But that Toby guy is her dad, she doesn't need someone to adopt her." Happy groans in annoyance and rolls her eyes.

"My gosh. You're dumber than I remember." Oscars about to defend himself again, but Happy continues. "I'm going to spell this out for you word for word. I don't love you anymore, I never did and I've moved on. I have a family and I'm going to get married. So I'm going to send you the divorce papers, and you WILL sign them, and after that we will never see each other again."

"So you're in love with the stupid shrink?"Oscar frowns.

"Surprisingly, yes. And I'd really appreciate if you would just shut up," she pushed him against the wall again, and with that, she walked away, leaving him alone in the corner. She informed Cabe that she was finished, grumbling as she did so, and Cabe couldn't help but laugh. He returned to Oscar's side and grabbed him by the arm to push him towards another agent. They wouldn't be seeing him for a long time.

* * *

Ralph was able to convince his mom and Walter to search for Colby. He had lost contact with him a while back and he was beginning to get worried about his new friend. Sylvester signed back onto Skype on Walter's tablet, and he guided them down the halls of the warehouse. There were no more guards to worry about, so they were able to roam freely around the grounds. Only being stopped and released by a few detectives on the way.

Walter led them to where he last saw Colby fighting off one of the guards. They rounded the corner, it was too dark to see just exactly was at the end of the hall, but it was easy to tell the silhouettes of men on the floor. Paige clapped a hand over Ralph's eyes as they got closer and Walter inspected their faces with a grimace. Luckily, none of them were Colby. He pointed the camera around to see if Sylvester could spot any clues he could have missed, but all it did was give him the jitters.

Ralph tried peeking over his mother's hands, but she wouldn't let him look at the scene in front of him. Walter then gestured to some tracks leading down the corner.

"Look, there are some bloody prints going this way," Walter helped Paige sand Ralph step around the bodies and follow the trail of the prints. It only led to another bruised body.

"Maybe he's outside the building, we can check there when we finish up inside," Paige suggested, covering up Ralph's eyes again.

"You're probably right. We need to get back to the team to see how Sage and Toby are doing after all that was... uncovered this afternoon," Walter agrees. Sylvester gives them quick directions back to the main room.

* * *

Toby rounded the corner with Sage in his arms, and they are immediately hit with the reality of the situation. Barnes had already been cuffed and was being led out of the building with a smirk on his face. All the children were also being rounded up and being escorted to the police cruisers and ambulances waiting outside. Toby saw a few of the agents inside a dark room. He soon realized that it was the room behind the large metal door he saw earlier.

The room had already been cleared out, the only thing left were the small indents in the beds mattress, where the children's bodies must have laid. He turned his attention to Cabe in the center of the room barking out orders to the agents and detectives coming in.

Happy was sitting on the floor, leaning her back against the wall while watching the business take place around her. Her knee was bouncing in anticipation as she waited for Sage and Toby to return and Toby smiled at her flustered state. She hadn't noticed the two of them yet, so Toby slid down beside her with Sage in tow. He moved her from his hip as he sat down so she was sitting comfortable in his lap facing Happy.

Happy looked over at them and grinned. "You guys okay?" she asked, leaning her head against Toby's shoulder.

Sage nodded along with Toby. she climbed off of Toby's lap so she was settled neatly between the two of them. She wrapped her arms around Happy's waist in one swift movement before letting go again. She looked down at her knees curled closely to her chest. There wasn't much room to stretch in the position she was in, but she didn't care.

"I'm really really sorry for saying those things. I don't think I really believed them."

Happy smiled and ran a hand through her hair. "Don't worry kiddo. I say things I don't mean all the time. Mostly for Toby's sake" she joked, bumping her shoulder against Toby's while he playfully scoffs in exasperation. He draped his arm over Happy's shoulder and grinned down at her.

"Are we all okay," He asked nervously. Looking between Happy and Sage, who was squished between them both.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about everything" she looked down, and played with the laces of her Chucks, but Toby wasn't having none of it.

"No, don't apologize sweetcheeks. This is all my fault, I should be the one apologizing," he said, curling a finger under her chin and lifting her gaze to look at him. She grinned, then looked over at Happy.

"So...I do get to stay with you guys after all. How ironic."

Happy laughed and Toby chuckled along with her. That's when Walter and Paige reenter the room with Ralph strolling in after them. Sage caught sight of them and jumped to her feet to greet them.

She threw her arms over Ralph's shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. It takes him by surprise and he does that awkward thing with his hands for a couple seconds before he got the whole idea and wrapped his own arms around her in a stiff hug. Eventually he relaxes, but he was kind of nervous, considering this is the first contact with her since their… 'kiss'.

It wasn't long before Sage pulled away in a hurry and glanced around at everyone else. She just realized that her best friend was still missing.

"Where's Colby?"

Ralph stepped away and clasped his hands behind his back. He glanced down at his feet to avoid her gaze. Thankfully, Paige stepped in to assist.

"We think he's somewhere outside right now. We weren't able to find him inside, but I'm sure he's okay."

"Yes, even if he were dead. We would have most likely found his body alr-" Paige back slaps him in the stomach and shoots him a glare.

"Don't listen to him kid. Walter just doesn't know when to stop being an idiot," Happy says. Shooting him a pointed look.

Toby doesn't say anything, he was still a bit shaken up by everything that had happened. He didn't want to risk saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. He settles for placing his hands on Sage's shoulders instead.

"Let's go find him then!" Sage ripped away from Toby's hands and almost made it to the door before Walter reached out and grabbed her upper arm, bringing her to a halt.

"No. Let's wait till Homeland clears everyone out. Then we can go look for him. It'll be easier that way," he says, releasing his grip when he was sure she wasn't going to try and take off again. Her nose crinkled in what he could only guess as a pout as she glanced around at everyone else for some support.

"Surprisingly, he's right. We should wait until everything settles down," Toby spoke up. She nods and sulks back over towards him. She fell into him, pressing her face into his abdomen. Her arms stay stiff at her side as Toby wraps one of his over her shoulders. She pulls the jacket tighter around herself and stands there in his embrace. Now it made sense why she had always felt so comfortable around him and why just his voice or scnet could put her at ease. He was her father, and maybe her subconscious knew the entire time.

Paige grinned at the two, she was beyond ecstatic about the new development. Not to mention, a few mysteries that had been uncovered. She nudged Walter with her elbow.

"Look on the bright side. Now we know who she reminds us of." Paige grins, and watched as Toby's face morphed into one of confusion. Sage turned around to look at them as well with a cocked brow. She crosses her arms over her chest and waited for some elaboration on the statement.

"Look! She has his nose and his eyes," Paige gushed, taking a few steps closer and prodding at her various features that seemed to resemble her father's. She makes a weird face when Paige made another comment about her face shape. "She even has his little facial expressions!" Paige continues to point out the different resemblances, comparing both Sage and Toby's face at the same time. It seemed that she no longer had any sense of personal boundaries.

"Okay Paige, that's enough. You're starting to overwhelm her, and you're starting to freak me out too." Toby says, gently pushing Paige away by the shoulder. Happy grinned and started laughing hysterically. Clutching her stomach and looking over at the two who wore the exact same expression.

"You are 100% right Paige. Not to mention their personality's, it makes a lot of sense now." Happy laughs. Walter nods along with her and Ralph grins beside his mother.

"It does doesn't it?" Walter smiles, "it makes sense why they both find so much joy in making me miserable. I never knew it was possible to have two Toby's in the world." Sage laughs and Toby shrugs his shoulders with a smirk.

"There's not two Tobys, just a Toby and a Sage. It just so happens that Sage is Toby's daughter, that's all." Sage says with a grin.

"Can't fight that logic," Toby laughs.

* * *

It only took about 6 minutes to get most of the building void of bodies, children and doctors. Team Scorpion were the only ones left in that room, besides a few leftover agents stationed in the room.

Sage and Ralph were sitting up against the wall while the rest of the grown ups had a heated discussion about what the next step was. Ralph sat there fiddling with his fingers and Sage drew her knees to her chest in anticipation, she really needed to find Colby. Ralph looked over at her and noted her discomfort.

"I'm really sorry about bringing Colby with me. It's just… you scared me and I didn't know what to do. I was worried and so I called him because I didn't know what to do." Ralph murmured. He took the blame for Colby's absence, if he hadn't called him then Sage wouldn't have to be so distraught about it.

"It's not your fault Ralph. I'm the one who ran away in the first place. This is all my fault, you shouldn't blame yourself." Sage says, rolling her head to look over at him.

"I disagree, you were simply acting out of instinct, I do not blame you for any of this. So, since neither of us will not back down from our position. Let's just forget about it and call it a truce." Ralph suggested, matching her gaze. Sage laughed and grinned at him.

"How do you do that?" She asks.

"Do what?" He cocks his head to the side in confusion.

"How do you know exactly what to say to cheer me up? Not even Colby can do that, he usually just pisses me off. No one has ever understood me as good as you do. The only reason we're here, finding out where I came from and who I am, is because you understood me and you helped me understand myself. You were there when I didn't trust anyone and you were there when I was better. No one has ever done that for me before. Why do you care so much?"

Ralphs mouth snaps shut and his face flushes. Colby's constant remarks about Ralphs undenying love for Sage got on his nerves. It was hard to believe in love like that until you actually experience it. He thinks back to all the things Colby told him and the things he taught him, and he thought that just maybe… Maybe this was his chance. He opens his mouth again to speak, but nothing comes out. Sage watches him intently, waiting for his answer.

"Truth is… I'm-" his confession is cut short by Cabe's announcement to exit the building. It was time to go find Colby. Sage jumps up, leaving Ralph sitting there with a string of words still caught in his throat. He came so close. He follows the group back outside. It would just have to wait for another time.

When they exited the building, they were immediately overwhelmed with the various things going on. Children were being loaded into police cars or ambulances, while Barnes, Oscar and a few other men were led to a separate car reserved just for them. Sage didn't become distracted by the chaos ensuing around her. She rushed into the crowd in search for Colby. She looked over gurneys and swerved around several police cruisers parked amongst the crowd. The team helped her search, but when they found nothing they started asking around.

"Have you seen a 14 year old boy walking around, dirty blonde hair, a lot taller than me and a bunch of freckles," Sage asked a nice looking women, with a white coat draped over her shoulders. The woman nodded and pointed over to an ambulance parked up close to the building. She gave Sage a sad smile, and that worried her even more than she was before they started looking.

She ran over to the truck in the distance with Toby and the rest of the team hot on her heels. She pushed through the various officers and eventually found herself standing in front of a gurney. She stared down at his motionless body and her eyes began to water. He laid there with blood soaked through his shirt and several cuts and bruises around his skull. A stab wound on his side and a bullet that passed through his shoulder. It took her a moment of two to realize what had happened and she felt herself beginning to break down the second time that day. She felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around to come face to face with Toby. He looked down at her with a sad smile and wrapped a large hand behind her head, pulling her against him.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hid behind his jacket while he assessed the extent of his injuries. He had lost a lot of blood. She cried into his shirt and kept her face pressed against him so she wouldn't have to see Colby in that state. The team gathered around them and gazed down at Colby.

Ralph pressed closer to his mother and turned away from Colby's body. He didn't want to see it any more than Sage. Deep frowns were etched into everyone's faces and no one seemed very eager to leave the young man who had accompanied their newest member for the majority of her life.

A handful of paramedics eventually rushed over, pushing them out of the way, They pushed and prodded at Colby's body, spitting out terms that only Toby could really understand. The eventually loaded him into the truck in a hurry before anyone could ask what was going on.

"It's okay" Toby soothed, rubbing Sage's back as she cried harder. He watched while the truck disappeared in the distance, the lights blaring while they travel down the deserted streets at high speed.

"No-no it's not *sob* he was my best friend and now he's gone."She grips handfuls of Toby shirt into her fists, and cries harder.

"No sweetheart," he cooed, "He's alive. They're just bringing him to the hospital to make him better." He looked down at her with a reassuring smile. She looked up at him with her tearstained face and he was actually able to spot a tiny tinge of hope in her eyes.

"He's barely alive, but there is a slight chance he might make it through," he said. Everyone around them seemed to let out a breath of relief, no one was really sure about the state of the youngster, but hearing that he might make it gave each of them a bit of comfort. It was better that he was barely alive rather than not at all.

"We'll go visit him tomorrow. I promise," Toby said.

"But for now, let's get home," Cabe spoke up, taking a step forward and gesturing for everyone to follow him to the van. Sage was glued to Toby's side the entire ride home. The day's events left her unsure as to how she should be feeling in that moment. Happiness? Sadness? Excitement? Worry?

* * *

When they reached their apartment that night Toby threw their gear somewhere near the kitchen table after stepping through the door. Happy went to the room to get dressed into something more comfortable, and Sage spread out on the couch. Stretching her limbs every which way. That day had been emotionally draining and she was already exhausted.

Toby sat down next to her and lifted her legs so he could actually take a seat. He let them fall back into his lap when he found a comfortable position. There is a few moments of silence after he picks up his latest medical journal and begins reading. Leaving Sage to her own thoughts. Eventually she sits up and looks over at him with genuine concern.

"What do I call you now?" Toby looked up from his book and stared at her.

"What?" He asked, with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't positive of what she was asking him.

"Do I keep calling you Toby, or do I call you Dad?" She asked, lying back down and pillowing her head on one of the worn couch cushions.

"Uh...just...call me whatever," he says. He wasn't going to push her to do anything she wasn't comfortable to do yet.

"Yeah, but what do you want me to call you?" She was definitely persistent, and the look on her face let him know that she was completely sincere and she wasn't going to back down until she got an answer.

"I-I don't know. I don't mind if you call me Toby, and I don't mind if you call me daddy, or Dad. You just do whatever makes you comfortable," Toby says. It was a trick question all around, there was no right answer.

At that moment Happy walked into the kitchen, pouring some water into a cup. She had overheard the entire conversation. Not that she was secretly eavesdropping or anything, cause that would be wrong.

"Don't listen to him. He secretly wants you to call him daddy," she chuckles, a small smirk hidden behind the cup as she took a long sip from her glass of water.

"I sai-" he started, but was cut off by Sage's laugh. "Ok, daddy it is."

Toby shook his head in amusement, and looked back down at his book. He wasn't at all displeased with the turnout.

Eventually it was time for Sage to go to bed after she got a shower and got dressed into her pajamas. She excitedly jumps onto her bed, burrowing herself beneath the chilly covers. She was ready to warm up her frozen toes. Toby sat down on the edge of the bed and smoothed down her damp hair. He takes note of the way she hugs a pillow to her chest and presses her face into it before breathing in its scent. He tickles her side and shoots her a playful glare.

"Did you steal my pillow again little one?" Sage laughs and shakes her head hurriedly, pressing the pillow closer to her body. He grins down at her and stretches over her bed to grab one of the spare pillows.

"Well I guess I will just have to take one of yours in retaliation then." He says. Sage doesn't say anything as she stares up at him with happy eyes. He couldn't see her grin, but he didn't need to. He whacks her playfully with the pillow and she squeals in surprise.

"The only reason you aren't being punished for running off and putting yourself in danger is because I am tired, and you are tired, and I'm not in the mood," he joked. Sage giggled and he smiled as he pressed a kiss right below her hairline. She hummed in response.

"Tob- I mean Dad, are you going to take me to see Colby tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yes I will," he pauses and a small frown formed on his face, "you don't have to call me Dad if you don't want to. Just call me Toby until you feel comfortable to call me dad, okay. I don't want to force you into anything. If you never do call me Dad it is fine, it won't hurt my feelings, because I completely understand." He tugged the covers over her shoulders so they were tucked neatly under her chin.

"No, it's okay. You don't know how many times I almost called you dad over the past month. You're my first real father figure and it already feels natural. I just need to get used to not calling you Toby all the time." She smiles up at him, and Toby smiles back.

"Okay, whatever you want." He kisses her forehead and stands from his seat on the bed. He turns off the lights and partially closing the door as he leaves.

He walks to his room and joins Happy on the bed, watching Cupcake wars while eating chocolate covered pretzels as the main course.

"What's with all the sweets?" He asks, jumping onto the the bed and reaching over to grab a handful of pretzels to snack on, but Happy smacks his hands away, and glares at him before his hand even reaches the bowl.

"Oh. Not in the sharing mood I see." He smirks at her and retracts his hand. He leans over and kisses her so softly it nearly melts her to the core.

It was really beginning to aggravate her when he did that sort of thing, because when he did she no longer had control over her thoughts. His presence just consumed them all and the way his lips moved perfectly with hers left her craving for more. He licks into her mouth and she moans in pleasure, abandoning the bowl of pretzels in her lap and reaching up to cup his face .She runs the pads of her thumbs against his scruff and a shiver runs down her spine as he presses closer to her.

Then, he pulled away with a wicked grin on his face. He knew exactly what he had done to her. She wasn't aware of the entire motive behind the kiss until she saw him pop a few pretzels into his mouth triumphantly. She glares at him and he playfully sticks out his tongue. They sit there in silence watching the addicting show after that, but this time Happy willingly allows Toby to pick out the snacks from her bowl. She leans against his chest with his arm thrown over her shoulders as they simply enjoy the others company.

At the next commercial break, Happy sets the bowl of pretzels on the nightstand and bites her lip while crawling back towards Toby. He watches in confusion as she crawls closer before eventually she's straddling his lap with that same grin on her face. His confusion immediately morphs back to it's cocky form.

"So you're in the mood for something else then?" He waggled his eyebrows, reaching out to pull her closer to him, but she smacks his hands away again.

"Shut it dork. I have to tell you something important, and I don't want you to run away," she said. Giving him one of those looks that Toby immediately registered as 'shut up and let me talk.'. So he gave her his full attention.

"I just wanted you to know that you will be a great dad," she treads slowly, and Toby begins to say something, but she hushes him with a finger over his lips. "And also, even if Sage wasn't your real daughter, you still would have been a great father."

Toby looks utterly and completely confused. Of course he wouldn't get it the first time.

"Uhm, Hap, I don't get it. Do you mean, that she would have looked up to me like a father, or we would have adopted her, o-" Happy interrupted him with an annoyed groan.

"I'm pregnant, idiot."


	26. What?

Chapter 26

"Your-your what!?" Toby practically yells, shuffling off the bed, with wide eyes.

Which was pretty difficult, considering that Happy was sitting on top of him.

Happy shushed him, before he started yelling again, and woke up the entire building. "Calm down". She climbed off the bed, and stood in front of him.

He grabbed her shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. Fear and excitement were staring back at her.

"You're really pregnant" he asked, as if he was scared that she'd hit him if he asked again.

"Yes, that's what I said". When she made the announcement the first time, Happy was grinning, but now she was starting to worry, because of Toby's reaction.

"How long have you known" he asked, not letting go of her shoulders. He only squeezed them tighter.

"Only a week. I wanted to wait until all of this drama with Sage was over" she replied, with a shrug of her shoulders, looking down at her feet.

Toby ran a hand through his already tousled hair, and turned his back to her. Making Happy frown.

"Do you not want it?" She asked

Toby turned back around, and shook his head. "Of course I want it...its just that I'm scared...because of last time" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do-do you want it?"

He seemed a bit panicky. Almost like he was hyperventilating. So Happy tried her best to calm him down.

She gave a small smile and nodded, before taking a big step so she was standing directly in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his middle, and settled her chin on his chest, so she was looking up at him. "You know Sage does the same thing as you". Happy said, referring to Toby nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

That comment made him smile, "well, it's a common thing that people do when they're nervous. It doesn't really mean anything".

"Of course it doesn't" she said sarcastically. "But tell me the whole story. Let me be the shrink for once. I want to know what happened, and why it's making you so nervous"

Toby went back to rubbing his neck. "I don't know Hap, this isn't really something I talk about a lot"

Happy rolled her eyes, and dragged him over to the bed, forcing him to sit down.

"Well, this is payback for forcing me to talk all those time" she said, sitting down next to him, and wrapping an arm around his back. Then leaning into him.

Toby grunted, and moved so his and Happy's back was resting against the headboard.

"Alright fine...When I found out about Hazel being pregnant, I was ecstatic, but she wasn't. She was actually upset that I wanted her to keep the baby. Things were already going downhill with us, but adding a baby to the picture sort of made things worse...

...She went behind my back and went to see a doctor to get an abortion, but found out that if she did get an abortion, it would be fatal, and there was a high chance of death. When she told me, I was beyond angry. But she decided that she would have the baby, but would put it up for adoption right away...

...I argued with her for days about it, saying that I would take the baby for her, and that I'd leave, just like she wanted. But she wouldn't let me...

...So I stuck with her throughout the pregnancy, helping her through it. I planned to take the baby, no matter what anybody said, because I knew what it was like to grow up wondering if your parents actually loved you. And I always wanted to have a kid, so things sort of worked out. I never told her about my plan, I just kept it a secret, and on the day the baby was born, I'd just disappear" Toby started to breathe heavy while he talked. He wasn't crying, he didn't like to cry. But this experience was just something that really upset him. And brought back a lot of bad memories.

Happy tried comforting him. She layed her head on his chest, and sort of half hugged him. One arm around his back, and the other laying across his stomach, rubbing his chest in small circles.

"When I was kicked out of the delivery rooms by Barnes, I started to freak out. I didn't know what was going to happen. I already loved the baby, and I didn't even know if it was a little girl or a little boy. So when he came out to tell me that my daughter didn't make it, I sort of lost it. Then he told me about Hazel, and I just couldn't function anymore. I didn't love her as much as I used to, but I still cared for her...But after all that, I lived in the dark, my gambling got impossibly worse, and I was drunk all the time. Being beaten to a pulp was a nightly routine, and hangovers were just a normal part of my life. Until I met Sylvester, and eventually Walter and you, and you know the rest" he finished. Now his arm was wrapped around Happy's back.

Happy hadn't said a word since he started talking. She just listened.

"I-I cant loose you Hap. I can't loose someone I actually love, and I can't handle loosing another baby. I don't think I would ever get over it" he said. Now the tears were falling, as he looked down at Happy, in his arms.

She sat up, and grabbed his face, wiping away a couple tears with her thumb. "You won't loose me. And you won't loose the baby, if it wasn't for stupid Barnes, none of that would've happened. Your the doctor, you know how low of a chance it is for any of that to happen" after she was done talking as kissed him. "And besides. Sage is alive, and I bet Hazels death wasn't an accident. Barnes probably killed her too"

When she pulled away, Toby was smiling just a little bit, and his tears had stopped. "Have I told you that I love you lately". Now he was grinning.

"Yes. About every hour or two" Happy says with a smirk. Straddling his lap.

Toby put a hand over Happy's small belly. "I'll be strong, but only for you...Besides we'll be awesome parents". Toby kisses her again, his hand still resting on her belly, and his other tangled in her hair. "We already are".

The next morning...

Sage wakes up bright an early. Earlier than usual.

She kept waking up in the middle of the night, ready to spring up, with enough energy to run all the way to the hospital. But she didn't.

So now it was finally morning, and Sage was up and ready to go. All dressed and everything. She wanted to give them as much time to sleep as possible. For a higher chance of them saying yes.

She ran into 'her parents' room, and shook them awake.

She started with Toby, because he didn't get violent when he was woke up.

"Uh, Tob-...I mean Daddy. Wake up. We need to go see Colby, and see how he's doing" Sage says, shaking his shoulder.

Toby groans and rolls over, so he's facing her, and blinks a couple times.

He looks over at the clock on his bed stand. "Sage. It's 6 in the morning, go back to bed" he moans, and closes his eyes, and rolls over again.

"I can't sleep. I've been up for hours. I'm really worried about Colby. And you promised" she said, quieter this time, and stuck out her lip to form the most adorable pout Toby had ever seen.

He rolls back over. Again. And looks at her. Then he glances back at Happy, still asleep, then sighs.

He sits up, and swings his legs over the edge, so they are hanging over the side of his bed, while he rubs his eyes and yawns.

"Ok. Grab my shirt" he says, pointing lazily over at his dresser.

Sage runs over and grabs a clean t-shirt, and hands it to him. Then he stands up, and pulls on a pair of jeans, that were laying on the floor, on. Stumbling a couple times, from trying to get his legs into his pants.

"Ok. Go get dressed, I'll take you over there." He yawns again, and pulls out his phone. Not even noticing that she was already fully clothed.

So Sage just runs to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth.

Toby dials Cabe's number, and waits while it rings.

Then a voice croaks out a tired, and irritated "what".

"Hey grandpa. Its me Toby" he yawns loudly in tot he phone. "Uhm, can you meet me and Sage at the hospital, Sage really wants to see Colby. She won't go back to bed"

Cabe grunts "I'm at the hospital".

Toby let's out a surprised 'oh'. "Why are you at the hospital this early in the morning".

Toby starts making his way into the bathroom and stands next to Sage in front of the sink while she brushes her teeth, combing a brush through his unruly hair, as he waits for Cabe's answer.

He sighs "just come over, and I'll explain the whole thing".

Toby nods, even though he knows Cabe can't see him. "Okay, we'll be there...uh, soon".

He hangs up the phone, and lays it on the sink, then turns head to see Sage staring at him. She placed her wet toothbrush back in its place, next to Toby's and Happy's

"Was that Cabe?"

"Yeah. He's uh, going to meet us at the hospital" he says, putting some toothpaste on his toothbrush.

"Why isn't Happy coming" she asks, glancing back into the bedroom, where Happy's still sleeping.

"She's...she's just really tired after yesterday. I want to give her some extra time to sleep" he says.

He starts brushing his teeth, while Sage is rummaging through the kitchen, for something small to eat, for the both of them, while they drive to the hospital

Toby finally makes his way out of the bathroom. Half asleep, but at least he was up, and ready.

"Alright. Let's go. Before I change my mind" he yawns again, as he opens the door, grabbing his jacket and hat on the way.

Sage darts out, and races down the stairs to the small parking lot. She waits for Toby, who's taking his time down the stairs, so he doesn't trip, and they have to go to the hospital for whole nother reason.

"Come on" she yells impatiently from the car door. Jiggling the handle, while she waits for him to unlock the door.

"Whoah, slow down there Bugs" he yawns again, unlocking the car door.

She looks over at him, with a questioning look. "Bugs?"

He looks over at her. "Oh, yeah sorry. Just a little tired"

He opens his car door, and it takes a few tries, but he gets the old rust bucket running.

Sage climbs in next to him. "It's okay. I actually like it" she smiles, as Toby pulls out of the parking lot.

"Good". He turns the radio on, and they ride the rest of the way to the hospital in comfortable silence. While eating dry cereal from a bowl on the center console.

At the hospital...

"Alright. We're here." Toby says, pulling into a empty parking space, in the parking garage, not to far from the main entrance.

When they both get out, Sage tried to run to the entrance, but Toby stops her by grabbing her hand, and pulling her back towards him.

"No running" he says, sternly.

She nods, and slows down, but doesn't let go of Toby's hand as they walk across the street to the hospital.

When they step inside, and into the waiting room, they see Cabe lounging on one of the chairs. Looking like he's about to fall asleep.

Sage let goes of Toby's hand, and darts up to Cabe, standing right in front of him.

"Cabe! Where's Colby" she asks frantically, placing both hands on his knees.

He looks up at her, but he doesn't smile. "Come on". She feels that his attitude probably has something to do with the fact that it was 6:30 in the morning. At least that's what she hopes it is.

Sage backs away, as he stands up.

Toby and Sage follow him down the busy hallway of the hospital. Doctors, nurses, and patients, walking or running up and down the hallways.

A doctor stops them. "No visitors allowed at this hour. I'm sorry".

Cabe doesn't say anything, as he flashes his Homeland badge.

All the doctor did was nod, and run back down the hallway, towards the emergency room.

Cabe didn't say a word as he led the two of them down the hallway and to Colby's hospital room.

When they reached the room, Cabe opened the door all the way, moving to the side, to allow Sage and Toby in.

Sage ran in, and to the bed.

Colby lay motionless on the bed. His chest moving up and down, for every breath he takes. Wires and tubes lay around him, and a mask covers his nose and mouth. Probably helping him breath.

Some of the scratches on his face were still visible, but the really bad ones were covered with a small bandage.

Sage just reached out and held his hand, and sat down in the chair right next to his bed.

She layed her arm on the side of the bed, and then resting her chin on her arm. Not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.

She was determined to stay right there until he woke up.

Toby turned to Cabe, who was just watching Colby and Sage with sad eyes.

"Alright. Tell me what's going on" he whispered.

Cabe pulled him farther away from the bed, so Sage couldn't over hear there conversation.

"He's in a coma" Cabe sighs. And Toby's eyes go wide.

"I came here last night, just to get a report on what was happening. But they hadn't even operated on him yet. His foster parents hadn't paid to give him insurance, and they refused to pay for any medical bill. So the hospital just layed him on a bed, waiting for him to black out." Cabe pulled a couple pieces of paper from his jacket.

"And since they wouldn't let me pay for the bills unless I was his legal guardian, I had to adopt him"

Toby was scanning the papers, the adoption papers.

"You-you adopted him. And paid for his medical bill! Cabe! Those things come out to be thousands of dollars".

Cabe's expression doesn't change. "I know. But he saved Walter and Sage's lives. I might as well return the favor"

Toby ran a hand through his hair. Then glanced over at Sage sitting right by Colby's bed.

He handed the papers back to Cabe. "I'll pitch in some cash. It's the least I can do." He rubs the back of his neck.

Cabe's lips twitch upwards for just a moment as he takes back the papers from Toby, and stuffs them in his jacket pocket.

Then Toby goes to sit next to Sage. Pulling up a chair, and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, before kissing the side of her head.

Sage doesn't respond, she just keeps staring at Colby's beaten up face. "He's not going to wake up. Is he?"

Toby sighs. And squeezes her shoulder. "The doctors don't know", was the best answer he could give her.

She turned to face him. The tears welling up in her eyes as she sits up. "But he's my friend"

She looks back at Colby, and Toby turns to look at Cabe. Both had a heart broken look.

When Sage started to really cry, Toby pulled her out of her chair and onto his lap. "C'mere"

She does as she's told, and curls up on his lap, as he wraps his arms around her, in a protective blanket.

She cries into his shirt, and Toby just rocks her. At least the best rocking he can do in a very stubborn chair.

"He'll be okay" Toby soothes. "The doctors are going to do there best to help him".

Sage sits up, and looks at him. "You need to take care of him. Your a better doctor than all of them. You can save him, all they can do is make it worse"

Toby gives a soft chuckle. "Sorry sweet pea. No can do. I can't do any better than any of these doctors here can".

She lays her head back against him. And Cabe comes and sits next to them after a while. The same seat Sage was sitting in earlier.

Sage had repositioned herself, so she was still on Toby's lap, and she could see Colby's face, and all the hospital equipment.

Then Toby's phone rings, and he struggles to grab it from his pocket. It was Happy.

He answers, cursing at himself, for forgetting to leave a note, or text, or something.

"He-hey Hap" he laughs nervously Into the phone.

"Where the heck are you!". She yells so loud, that Toby has to pull the phone away from his ear, to avoid loosing his hearing.

"And where the heck is Sage! She better be with you! Or so help me, I-" Toby cuts her off.

"Hap, we're fine. We're at the hospital". That obviously wasn't the best thing to say at the moment, but of course he wasn't thinking.

"What! Why are you at the freaking hospital!" She yells "and why the heck did you not tell me!".

Toby winces at his mistake, and Cabe and Sage just laugh at his poor situation.

He stuck out his tongue at them, only making them laugh harder.

"No Hap, you got it all wrong. Sage woke me up early this morning, wanting to go see Colby. And I didn't want to wake you up, because of...you know...So we're here with Colby" he says.

That seemed to calm Happy down a bit. "Ok. I'll be there in a little while".

"No. I'll come pick you up. I'll leave Sage here with Cabe-" this time Happy cuts him off-

"Don't you dare start being over-protective. I can drive all by myself. And if you start acting like that again, I'll kick you so hard, this will never happen again".

She whispered it into the phone. Making it even more threatening, and that way no one could over hear what she was saying.

Toby gulps, and gives another nervous laugh.

"Yeah. I'll see you when you get here Hap" and he adds a pitiful 'I love you' to the end, before hanging up.

"Her threat must have been pretty bad, if it shook you up that bad" Cabe smirked.

When Happy got to the hospital...

Happy arrived about a half an hour later.

Nobody had moved, except Cabe. He had gotten up to fetch him and Toby some coffee. But then he got back and sat right back where he was.

Happy found the room pretty quickly, by threatening the receptionist.

She walked into the room, and saw Toby rocking Sage, while sipping his coffee, and Cabe just watching Colby as he sipped his own coffee.

Happy pulled up a chair next to Toby.

"He's in a coma" he whispers, looking over at Happy. And saying it just quiet enough that Sage can't hear.

Happy didn't say anything, she saw how Sage was looking over at Colby's motionless body.

She seemed so small and helpless, curled up on Toby's lap. It immediately took her back to the time, when she felt and looked like that.

"Here, why don't you go stretch your legs, or get something to eat. I'll take care of Sage" Happy offered. She could tell that Toby was on the verge of falling asleep. Even with the coffee.

He gave her a grateful smile, and without any prodding, Sage just hopped off his lap, and climbed into Happy's lap, in the same position as she was before.

Happy held her the way Toby was, and Toby got up and headed out the room to stretch his legs, and maybe get something more to eat. That cereal this morning didn't do much to satisfy his stomach.

Eventually the rest of the team showed up.

Walter and Paige, along with Ralph showed up a few hours later, and they all say around the bed. Around 12:00.

Toby went to pick up Sylvester. And he hadn't returned yet, but the room was already getting pretty full.

Sage hadn't greeted anybody. She hadn't spoken a word, since Happy showed up, and even before that.

But she was still sitting in Happy's lap, watching Colby's very few moves.

Ralph was sitting in Walters lap, next to Paige, and Cabe was still in the same seat as before.

"Hey Sage. I gotta go use the bathroom" Happy said, placing a hand on the top of her head.

Sage nodded, and stood up, and without waiting for an invitation, she climbed into Cabe's lap. Sitting so she was still facing Colby.

Cabe didn't say anything, but he did allow the surprise to show on his face. Even Paige rose an eyebrow at Sage's odd behavior.

Happy just shrugged and exited the room to find the bathroom.

Toby and Sylvester arrived before Happy got back, and they were both surprised to see Sage sitting in Cabe's lap, without a care in the world.

She very rarely showed any affection for anyone besides Toby, Happy, Ralph, and sometimes Sylvester.

"Hey Bug. We're back" Toby says, shutting the door behind Sylvester.

"She hasn't said a word" Paige says, looking up from the magazine she was looking at. "Is everything okay".

Toby sighed, and sat down in his chair, while Sylvester sat in an armchair beside Paige. "She's just a little nervous".

Sage silently got up, and moved to Toby's chair. Climbing into his lap, and resting her cheek on his chest, and closing her eyes.

"She isn't sick is she?" Sylvester asks, worriedly. For himself, and for Sage.

Toby runs a hand through her hair, and rests his chin on the top of her head. Ignoring his question.

"How was she last night" Walter asks.

"She was good. She said she didn't get much sleep, because of Colby, and I think she's just really tired, right Bug?" He asks, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

She had been through so much these past couple days. And Toby just wanted all her pain to go away, and the best he could do was comfort her.

Happy stepped in a couple minutes later, and by then Sage was out cold.

They had been there pretty much all day. And no one was making a move to leave. Just a few more hours, and they would probably start filing out.

4 hours later...

Walter and Paige had to leave, but Ralph wanted to stay, so Toby offered to take him home when they did. That way he could stay a bit longer, with Sage and the rest of the team.

Sylvester was snoring in the same seat he had been in for the past few hours.

Sage was still asleep. She had woken up a couple times, staying awake for a couple hours, before falling asleep again.

"She must have not gotten any sleep last night" Toby says, moving his legs just a bit, underneath her frame.

They were starting to fall asleep, from Sage laying on him for so long. It was cutting off his circulation.

Happy shrugged, and stood up, stretching everything.

"Hey don't rub it in" Toby pouts.

"Rub what in?" Happy asks, finishing off her stretches.

"Stretching. I can't really do that with another person laying on me" he says, gesturing to Sage, in his lap.

Cabe laughs. Holding his tenth cup of coffee. And Ralph giggles a bit.

"Why don't you kids head home" he says, repositioning himself in the chair.

"You can't stay here all night, Cabe" Happy argues.

"Yes, I can," he argues, "But I'll leave in a couple hours anyways" he says.

Toby wrapped one arm around Sage's back, and the other under her knees, so he could carry her easier.

"I'm going to call you in exactly two hours. And you better either be home, or driving home" Happy threatens. "And remember, I can hack your phone and track it".

Toby chuckles, while standing up. And Cabe seems unamused. "Ok. Fine, just go home". He waved them away.

While Toby repositions Sage so she is laying on his shoulder, Happy is waking up Sylvester so she can take him home.

Sage starts to groan, and she's blinking rapidly.

Her cheek is resting on Toby's shoulder, so she's looking right at Cabe. He hadn't noticed her looking at him yet, but she can tell that he is extremely stressed and exhausted.

Nobody has noticed that she was awake, which was a good thing on her part. That way she wouldn't have to walk to the car, it gave her an excuse to be carried. So she closed her eyes again, pretending to be asleep, as Toby walked alongside Happy, Ralph and Sylvester to where the cars were parked.

As they walked through the hallways, and several waiting rooms, people would stare at them. Sage could feel there eyes boring into her, even though she couldn't see them.

Toby noticed too, and smiled. They weren't judging stares, they were wishful stares. Wishing to be a happy family like they appeared to be as they walked through the hospital. Happy was holding Toby's hand, as he carried Sage, and Sylvester was glancing worriedly at Sage every now and then, clearing some hair that would sometimes fall in her face. Ralph was stumbling beside Happy, trying to stay awake and not run into anything. So Happy guided him with a hand o his back. And Sage couldn't be happier. Well she could, if Colby was awake and okay, but she didn't want to ruin the moment, with sad thoughts.

So they just kept walking through the watchful stares, with not a care in the world.

"You get Sage home, and in bed. I'll take Ralph and Sylvester home" she tells Toby, combing her free hand through Sage's hair.

"Alright. Drive safe" he said, kissing her on the cheek.

Happy had parked in another section of the parking garage, so she, Ralph and Sylvester headed off in another direction.

After a couple minutes Toby started to talk to Sage on his shoulder.

"I know your awake" he said, turning his head to look at her, even though she couldn't see him. "Your breathing is uneven, and you also keep swallowing...I'm a behaviorist. I'd be a pretty crappy one of I didn't know when people weren't sleeping" he joked.

Sage sighed and, and flipped her head, so that her other cheek was resting on Toby's shoulder. Now she was facing his neck.

"I just really didn't want to walk" she sighed in defeat. Which made Toby laugh, as he used one arm to hold her, and the other to unlock and open the car door.

"I would have carried you anyways" he said, dropping Sage to her feet so she could step into the car.

"Thanks" she said, yawning, as she buckled her seatbelt.

When Toby climbed into the drivers seat, Sage was already curled up in the seat.

"It's not even 5 yet, and your already exhausted" Toby said, starting the car on his first try and backed out of the parking garage.

"Mm" was her only response, as she nestled closer to the back of her seat.

When she woke up again, she could feel and see Toby carrying her again. Up the 3 flights of stairs.

Then they were stopped by someone in the hallway, when they were almost to his apartment.

"Hey! Toby, is that you?" A man yelled from the opposite end of the hallway.

Toby turned around, and started walking to the man. "Hey Richard" he whispered when he was close enough so the guy could hear, and so he could shake his hand.

"Is she yours" he asked, gesturing to Sage laying on his shoulder.

"Yeah. We just spent the whole day at the hospital. Her friend is pretty sick" Toby answered.

"Oh, well I'm going down to play some poker. If you want to join me later, just give me a call" he said.

Sage tensed up, and Toby could feel her reaction. "Uhm, you know Ricky, I'm actually trying to quit gambling" Toby answered, placing a hand on Sage's back.

Richard just let out a loud laugh. "What! The best poker player in LA quit. You've got to be kidding me. Nice joke buddy" he laughed, slapping Toby's free arm playfully.

"No, I'm serious. I'm trying to quit. So I'm not the 'daddy that looses the mortgage payment' on one game of poker" he said seriously.

Of course that wasn't the whole reason he quit, but now it was definetly a part of it. He sure wasn't going to tell him about doing it for Happy. If he knew he'd just call him a suck up and a few other things he would rather Sage not hear.

Richard sighs. "Listen, I've tried quitting too. But it's impossible, once you start, it's just a part of you, and it'll never go away".

"I know. But I'm still going to try, and I've already vowed that I'm not going to gamble again" Toby says, confidently

"Whatever man. Just call me when your done playing superhero daddy" Richard huffs angrily.

Toby sighs, and rubs Sage's back. "Sorry, Bug. I forgot that he was a gambling buddy" he walked back down the hallway, to his apartment.

She doesn't say anything right away, she just lays silently on his shoulder until he lays her down on the couch. Even then she scoots away from him just a bit.

Toby understood, and moved to the kitchen to work on something to eat, since he could tell she needed time to relax, and also to hide the hurt expression on his face.

When he finished both their sandwiches, he sat back down on the couch, beside Sage's head.

He places her plate on the coffee table in front of her, for whenever she wanted it.

"Is it really impossible?" Sage speaks up all of a sudden, almost causing Toby to choke on his bite of sandwich in surprise.

"Is what impossible" he asked, after he finished his mouthful of bread, cheese and chicken. And looking down at her.

She doesn't look at him while she talks, she stares at the wall in front of them, and nothing else. "The gambling"

"Listen, Bug. You don't need to worry about that. I'm under control, besides you've got enough to worry about right now. No need to add to the pile" he said, brushing a hand through her soft hair.

"But-but, would you really do it again" she asked. This time looking up at him, with the most defeated look in her eyes.

Toby breaks as soon as he sees her face.

He sighs. "It's not impossible, but, it's just...hard. Like smoking, it's not impossible to quit, but it's really, really difficult". He smiles at her, which doesn't seem to settle her that much.

"But you won't do it. Right? No matter how hard it is?" She asks.

Toby doesn't grin like he usually does, instead he smiles a genuine smile. "Of course not baby. I wouldn't do that to you. Or Happy...but why are you so worried?" He asks.

"Because, you're my superhero," she yawns, "and you can't be my superhero if you gamble...just like that guy said...you're superhero daddy" she says, falling asleep, with her head in his lap, finally content with the answer he gave.

Toby was awed. He didn't know what to say, so he just sat the with his mouth agape. Eventually he was able to recompose himself.

"Ok?...whatever that means...I'll be the best one you've ever imagined" he grinned.

A few minutes later...

Happy gets home and sees both Sage and Toby passed out on the couch.

Toby's head is thrown back, and his mouth is hanging open while he snores loudly. And his right hand is laying across Sages middle, who's head is laying in his lap, and her legs curled against her chest.

Happy chuckles, and throws her jacket on the coat hanger. Then she bends down to pick up a throw pillow, and throws it right at Toby's face. Scaring him awake.

He doesn't jump to much, thankfully. So he doesn't end up waking up Sage.

He grins when he sees her, and opens up his free arm, gesturing for her to come and give him a hug.

She rolls her eyes playfully, and walks so she's standing right in front of him.

Instead of giving him a hug, she grabs his chin, and pulls his face forward, while he lets out a surprised squeak. Happy gives him a short, forceful kiss.

She doesn't let go of his chin, as she hums in approval, with her eyes still closed after she kisses him.

"Not complaining or anything, but what're you doing" he whispers, since she is only inches away from his face.

"I just...really wanted to kiss you" Happy says, letting go of his face.

Toby would have stood up and attacked her with small sweet kisses after that, but Sage was weighing him down.

He grumbles in disappointment, and gently shakes Sage awake. "Hey Bug. Wake up, you need to get in the shower. Then you can go back to sleep."

She groans, but doesn't move. So Toby sighs, and lifts her head off his lap, so she's sitting straight up on the couch.

"Up" he demands, and she grunts in disappointment, before getting up to gather her things for a shower.

Toby had a confident smirk on his face, as Sage walked back into the living room and to their room, where the bathroom is located.

As soon as the door closes behind her, Toby jumps up and corners Happy. "I'd advise not teasing me like that" he growls softly, before kissing her.

10 minutes later...

Sage took a really quick shower. She was not in the mood for anything. No eating. No video games. No cuddling. Nothing. She just wanted to go to bed.

She dries her hair, and puts on her treasured pair of pajamas, that aren't really pajamas. Just one of Happy's old shorts, and one of Toby's old t-shirts.

She picks up her dirty clothes, and unlocks the door, before stepping out.

She shivers when she steps out of the warm, steamy bathroom. Adjusting to the new temperatures.

She carried her clothes through the messy bedroom, and to the door. Not at all prepared for what's on the other side.

Sure she's seen small kisses on the forehead, cheeks, or even lips. But she had never walked in on Toby and Happy, during a full blown make-out session.

Her jaw drops, and one of her eyebrows crook up in shock, as she stares at them in the kitchen.

Happy's sitting on the counter top, with her hands wrapped around Toby's neck, playing with the hair on the back of his neck. And Toby's standing in between her legs. One hand wrapped around her middle and the other cupping her face.

After the shock wears off, she clears her throat.

She's not heard the first time, so she tries again. This time gaining Happy's attention.

She opens her eyes, and peers over Toby's shoulder. And her eyes widen, before whispering to Toby, who is was now attacking her neck. Because her lips were no longer available.

"Doc?" She whispers, frantically, and he just mumbles something, and is aiming for her lips again. But Happy has to push him back, and she nodded at Sage standing behind them, gawking.

Toby pretty much jumps away from Happy, and has a sheepish/innocent grin on his face.

"Sorry, Bugs. Let's get you to bed" Toby says, still smiling, and leading her to her room in a rush, with a hand on her back.

He smiles sheepishly over his shoulder at Happy, mouthing 'sorry', before entering her room.

Happy just rolls her eyes, and hops off the kitchen counter, rearranging the things they had messed up.

Then her phone starts to ring. She glances at the Caller ID, and it says Cabe.

She answers, with a discreet 'hello' before Cabe starts rambling into the phone. Something he pretty much never did, so she assumed he must have been pretty freaked out.

"Woah, calm down there Cabe. What happened" Happy tried to calm him over the phone, which seems to work a little bit. But not that much.

"It's Colby, he just had a seizure"

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It was pretty hard to write. With all the emotions and drama and stuff. I know I didn't write Toby's reaction that wel, I just couldn't come up with a better way to do it.**

 **What do you guys want Toby and Happy's baby to be Boy? Girl? Should she be a genius? If she is, what would be her specialty? Take after Happy, or Toby? You guys are going to create this baby. And I'm going to try my best to bring them to life. Also, if you have any name suggestions, please, please, please comment and tell me. I'm so bad at names and stuff.**

 **Love you guys, thanks for reading.**

:)


	27. Runaway

Chapter 27

"Don't bring Sage, drop her off at Walt's house, she can stay with Ralph. This will only stress out worry her more. And we don't need that **right** now" Cabe says,whispering into the phone.

As soon as Happy hears Cabe's announcement, she runs into Sage's room, with the phone still to her ear.

Toby's in the middle of telling Sage something, but she interrupts him. "Toby, we need to go now," she has a panicked expression on her face, which Toby seemed to notice. "We can drop Sage off at Walt and Paige's so she can stay with Ralph. But we need to go. Now!", after she's done, she runs back out the room, to throw some shoes on. Not even bothering to fix her hair, or clothes. Even though it was 7 in the evening, and she was pretty sure she was a mess.

Sage and Toby do the same, and they all rush out to the car. And Happy jumps into the drivers seat, while Toby and Sage get buckled in.

Toby seems to have a vague idea of what was going on, and eventually Sage figures it out too.

"Somethings wrong with Colby, isn't there" she says, a couple tears forming in her eyes.

"It's ok sweetie, he'll be fine" Happy tries to console her from the front seat.

"Yeah! And I want to see for myself. I'm going!" She insists. "And the only way your gonna stop me, is if you tie me to a chair, blindfolded, in the middle of the desert" she threatens. No more tears, just anger, and a scowl.

Happy digs in her pocket, and chucks her phone at Toby, who fumbles for a bit, then catches it safely in his hand.

"Text Cabe and tell him Sage is coming, because she threatened to burry us alive if she doesn't".

Toby doesn't say a word as he starts typing the response into Happy's phone.

While he's doing that, Happy looks through the rearview mirror, at Sage.

She has a scowl on her face, and she's tying up her wet hair into a messy ponytail, and tying a knot in the side of her t-shirt, so it doesn't hang on her like a dress. Allowing Happy's old black shorts to peek through.

When she's done making herself somewhat presentable, she huffs, crosses her arms, and leans all the way back into the seat of the car, while staring out the window.

Toby texted Cabe, and Cabe responded with 'I figured'.

So Happy, Toby, and Sage raced to the hospital.

They got weird looks as they ran in. Mostly because Sage was wearing an oversized, soft, t-shirt, that she still hadn't returned to Toby. And also because, both Toby and Happy were a mess as well, and they were only at the house for a few minutes.

"You know, if Sylvester were here, he would probably be telling us how low of a chance it was, that within the half hour we left, Colby had a seizure" Toby said, irritably, as he signed in, on the little paper at the front desk, that allowed them in to see Colby.

Sage didn't say anything, and Happy just nodded her head in agreement, and took the pen from Toby to write her own name.

"Let's go" Happy grabbed his hand, and pushed Sage with a hand on her back, through the doors, and to Colby's room.

Cabe was the only one there. Again. In the same seat they had left him in.

"Walter and Paige, are bringing Ralph too, and picking up Sylvester. They should be here in a few" Cabe said, as soon as he heard the three of them shuffle into the room, without turning around to look at them.

Sage said nothing, as she walked up behind him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and rested her chin on his shoulder.

Cabe placed a hand on her arm wrapped around him. And barely smiled to himself.

Toby picked up the clipboard that is stationed at the end of the bed. Flipping through the papers frantically, with wide eyes. Reviewing everything that happened from the moment he had been brought in.

Happy sat down in a chair, pulling her legs up under her.

A couple minutes later, Sage was comfortable, curled up in Cabe's lap, Happy was dozing off. And Toby disappeared with the clipboard in search for the nearest Doctor.

The others arrived before he returned, and they all sat around in their respected seats. Sylvester sat in the same seat as he did just a half hour earlier, and Ralph sat as far away from the bed as he possibly could.

Then Toby rushed back in, a couple nurses, or maybe doctors behind him.

He points at Colby, and then points to the clipboard, as he starts blabbering about nonsense that nobody in the room can understand. The doctors seemed to understand, and gauging by their reaction, it was pretty bad, whatever it was.

"What! What is it" Sage panics, jumping up from her seat in Cabe's lap, while the doctors rush around everyone in the room.

She runs up to Toby, and grabs the front of his shirt, while she looks around at the two women mess with the equipment, and Colby.

"What's going on?" She tears up, and curls her fists around the fabric of Toby's shirt.

Toby gives a weak and pitiful smile, before telling everyone to get out.

"Everyone, you need to get out now. I need to fix something, that some idiot Doctor did. And it would be better if there was no audience." He finished, uncurling Sage's hands from around his shirt, and handing her off to Happy, after giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, and an apologetic smile.

Everyone files out the room quickly, while Toby pulls on gloves, and a white coat, to not get his clothes and hands dirty. Then closes the door, behind Walter.

Happy had trouble getting Sage out of the room, so Cabe ended up having to half carry her, half drag her out of the room.

They waited patiently in the hallway.

A couple times, doctors or officers would try to kick them out of the hallway, but before Cabe could even flash his badge, Happy and Sage scared him away, using death their famous glares.

Sage held onto Happy like a lifeline. "It's my fault. If I hadn't run away and chased after you guys. None of this would have happened." Sage whispered into her chest. That only she could hear.

Happy didn't respond, she just hugged her tighter. Afraid to say the wrong thing on accident.

They heard shuffling, and clattering, like something fell over, coming from the room in front of them.

The door swung open, and one of the lady doctors came running out, and rushed down the hallway.

Inside they could see Toby working with Colby. He was having another bad seizure, and Toby was holding him down, while the other nurse put new medicine into the machine beside him. That's all they saw before the door slammed shut again.

Sage whimpered, as she stared at the now shut door, and everyone just sat and waited after that.

10 minutes later...

Toby opened the door with a smile. He peeled off his gloves, and his coat was already discarded as he walked out.

He had a big smile on his face, while everyone waited for information.

"He's fine," everyone let out a breath, "some idiot Doctor gave him to much medication, that could have killed him. So we had to pump it out of his system."

Sage ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Can we see him?"

"He's still asleep. He won't wake up for a while" Toby said.

He didn't want to tell Sage he was in a coma. That would only worry her more than she needed to be.

Sage just nodded, and walked around Toby, and into the room. Followed by Ralph, and then the rest of the team, one by one. Except for Walter. He just stood there and looked down at his phone.

"Walter" Toby called, waving a hand in front of his face.

"You okay there, buddy". Walter's head snapped up, and gave an unconvincing smile, before rushing into the room.

Sage didn't sit, she stood at the very end of the bed, and stared at Colby's beaten, and bruised face.

"I want to know what happened." She whispered it so softly, nobody knew what she said.

"What was that" Toby asks, cupping his ear, to hear her better.

She turned to look at him, and spoke louder. "I want to know what happened to him. Things shouldn't be this bad, something else happened to him. I know it"

"Uhm, I don't think that's a good idea, bug" Toby said, rubbing the back of his neck, and avoiding her eyes.

"My name is Sage! Not bug!" She yelled at him, "Now tell me what happened!" She looked around at everybody sitting in the room.

"Okay...Sage...calm down" Toby tries to calm her with a soft voice, but that just makes things worse.

"Don't you dare, treat me like one of your patients! I am your daughter! Now tell me the stinkin' truth!" She yelled, looking only at him.

Toby looked away first. "Fine. I'll tell you," you could hear a bit of hurt in his voice as he talked, "he got shot twice. Once in the abdomen, and once in the shoulder, when he fell, he hit his head really hard, causing a coma, the seizures, and a concussion. He also broke a few ribs, either from the fall, of from a fight. I don't know which. And the doctors neglected him when he first arrived. Causing the blood trauma in his head to increase and cause abnormal reactions, and a smaller chance of survival" when he finished, he scowled to himself. And cursed under his breath. The whole time he explained what happened, there was no hint of emotion, no pity, or even sorrow. Just the doctor tone, and the doctor expression.

Sage reared up a bit, and looked behind her at Colby, and by the time she turned to look at him again, he was gone. She heard the door to the room slam shut, and everyone watching the door as he left.

Happy stands up, and chases after him, leaving Sage with the rest of the team.

She sat on a love seat, by the window, next to Ralph.

"That wasn't very nice" he said, when she sat down. "Shut it! You don't know what I've been through!" She spat at him, looking dead ahead.

Ralph was stunned to silence. And Paige turned around in her seat to look at Sage. "Sage, we all know that this is very hard for you. But being rude, and mean, is not going to make things better. It'll just make things worse" she tried. But only succeeded in receiving a death glare, much like Happy's.

She stands up. "You know what. I'm leaving. I was better off before I ever met any of you. And this is just further proof of that," she gestured to Colby laying on the cot, "everyone that I trust and love, ends up dying, leaving, or betraying me. And I can't take any more of it".

Before anyone could do anything, she ran out the door. No tears, no sobs. Just a very, very angry face.

Cabe stood and chased her into the hallway, but when he looked down the hallway, she was no where to be seen.

Walter followed, then Paige, Sylvester, and finally Ralph. They all filed out to find Sage. Or Toby and Happy, so they could help look for her.

With Happy and Toby...

Toby was in the cafeteria, filling cup with some coffee, grumbling to himself, as he forced the cap on rather harshly.

Happy snuck up behind him, and rubbed her hand down his arm, making him jump just a bit, before turning around to see who it was.

"You okay?" She asked, filling up her own cup of coffee.

Toby put down his cup, and hung his head. Placing both hands on the counter in front of him to steady his body. "No. No I'm not" he said, letting out a big breath, in an effort to calm down.

"She's just...upset, and confused. It okay, you didn't do anything wrong" Happy said, placing her hand on his shoulder again.

Toby gave a pitiful laugh to himself, before speaking again. "Do you know why I call her bug?" He asked.

Happy shook her head, and smiled, lowering her hand to the counter as she sipped her coffee.

He lifted his head, and bit his lip, before dropping it again.

"Hazel didn't want the baby. She didn't talk to it, she didn't take care of herself and keep herself healthy. No matter how much I bagged her about it, she just...couldn't wait to get rid of it...And that means, that throughout the whole pregnancy I never knew whether it was a boy or a girl...we only went to the doctors to see and make sure Hazel was healthy. She didn't care about the baby, and she didn't want me to either...

...So every night, when Hazel went to bed, I would talk to her" Toby stopped talking, biting his lip again. And Happy hugged him around his middle, encouraging him to continue. She didn't care about the weird looks directed at them.

He rubbed his hand over her flat stomach, and letting it rest there, before he continued. "I would tell her everything. And since Hazel could sleep through almost anything, I talked all night. I read her books, and I told her everything. Like a best friend almost. I just didn't want her to feel unloved, even before she was born...

...And, since I didn't know the gender, I just started calling her bug. Or Bugs, something so she knew that I was talking to her." Toby hugged Happy, squeezing her a bit tighter.

"And even after she...died. I would still pretend that she was there, and I talked to her every night. It was like a comfort to me. It's how I controlled my emotions, and my anger. Or urges to gamble on the middle of the night" he finished, letting out shaky a breath.

Happy gave a happy laugh, "is that why I sometimes wake up to you talking to yourself" Happy looked up at him.

"Yeah, it is" he said, looking at her sheepishly.

"I always thought you were talking to me. And I was wondering where the heck you got the pet name bug from" Happy smiled up at him, making Toby laugh. Wrapping her up in a hug, and resting his hand again on her stomach, before kissing her forehead.

They were interrupted by Ralph running into the cafeteria. Paige following, not to far behind. "Hurry. Sage ran out the room, and we can't find her anywhere".

With Sage...

Sage was hiding out in a broom closet, her knees pressed up against her chest,as she tried to make herself as small as possible.

She could hear commotion outside of the door. People running up and down the hallways, patients crying, groaning, and even screaming. Beeps, and more beeps, all making her incredibly uncomfortable.

She sat there, debating on whether or not to cry. This past month, she had cried more than she had in her entire life. Like all the emotions and feelings she ever held back, just blew up, right in her face. A pain that she's never experienced before.

Her whole life she has been accustomed to physical pain, and emotional pain is a total new thing for her.

Crying didn't help anything, and she had no clue why people did it. All it did was make people around them feel uncomfortable or guilty.

So she made up her mind. No more crying.

After about five minutes of hiding in the closet, her thinking was interrupted by the door opening.

It was Ralph, he was holding his phone in his hand, and looking down at it when he opened the door.

When he looked up and saw her huddled in the corner, he wore a triumphant grin on his face.

He pocketed his phone, and offered out his hand to help her stand up.

She grabbed his hand, and pulled him into a hug. Squeezing him around his middle, and Laying her head on his chest. "I'm really sorry that I snapped at you. I was just..." She didn't know what had happened.

Ralph only smiled. "It's okay. I kind of understand" he pushed her back by her shoulders to get a good look at her face.

She was looking down at her feet, feeling ashamed of herself. But Ralph made her look up at him. "Listen, I'm no good with emotions, and I know you aren't either. But I do know what your talking about. You were stressed. When I'm stressed I don't get mad, I do math and science, and that calms me. And you, you run, get angry, and apparently threaten and insult people. Kind of like Happy, just a little less violent."

That made Sage laugh, and smile. "You know, I was really thinking about running away. How I just didn't deserve any of you guys to be my family" Sage grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers, as they walked down the hallway, in search for the others.

They walked hand in hand, and you could barely tell, because they were standing so close to each other.

"Well, I'm really glad you didn't. If you did, this team wouldn't be able to function like it used to. They'd probably all break down and forget what they were doing" he was half joking, and half serious.

Before Sage could respond, he could see Paige talking frantically to a nurse.

Paige turned around and spotted them, and her face softened, and you could see the dramatic breath of relief she released from the other end of the hallway.

She didn't care, and she didn't say anything. She scooped up Sage, and hugged her close. Holding her so high, that her feet couldn't touch the ground.

Sage tapped her shoulder, and tried saying a few things, but the air was being sucked out of her lungs from the strength of the hug.

"You don't know how worried we all were. Toby almost had a heart attack on the spot, when he found out" she said, putting her down on the ground, and then cupping her face to check for any injuries.

Sage swatted them away playfully, and gave a half smile. "Im okay. I just kind of freaked out. I didn't mean any of it" she said, backing up just a bit.

"I know." Paige held her hand as they walked down the hallway, Ralph trailing not too far behind them.

Sage could hear Paige mumbling under her breath. "At least we know what your reaction to emotions are. Thank god she's not as jerky as her father". She probably though that no one could hear what she was saying, and she kept on grumbling to herself about the other geniuses, and they're annoying little quirks.

They found Toby and Happy in the waiting room. Happy was threatening the receptionist, and Toby was questioning everyone that came in or out of the area.

Sage smirked, and Paige sighed, and gently layed a hand on Happy's shoulder, to try and get her to calm down, and in a way to avoid being slapped, or punched.

Happy spun on the heels of her feet to look right at Paige, with a deadly look.

Paige stepped out of her line of sight, allowing Happy to see Sage.

And with one glance, Happy was right in front of her, holding her face in her hands, much like Paige did.

Behind Happy, Sage could hear Paige call Toby over. And he ran like the speed of light. Probably knocking over a few old people on his way over.

Everyone in the waiting room gave them sympathetic looks, and Sage swore she could hear a few 'aww's" while Toby and Happy checked her over. And saying over and over how worried they were.

Toby was actually the one to do all the apologizing and talking, Happy was the one getting ha day. Looking her over, before grabbing her by the shoulders and looking her dead in the eyes.

"What in the world were you thinking" Happy said.

"Uhm, I wasn't" Sage answered. "I just ran, like I used to do with all my other problems". She looked down at her new shoes. "Hoping they'd disappear".

Toby ended up pushing Happy out of the way, so he could talk to her. "It's okay. We understand. We all do different, and weird things to cope with stress and our emotions. You just need time to learn how to control your urges. That's all".

Toby took her hand and walked her back to the room. With Happy walking on her other side, and Paige and Ralph behind them.

"Where's Cabe and Walter" Sage asks, looking to her side, at Happy for an answer.

"Walter stayed in the room. In case you came back. And I think Cabe went into the parking garage to find you" Happy answered, looking back at her.

"I am sorry for what I did". She apologized again, for like the millionth time.

"Enough of the apologizing child" Toby jokes, with a hearty laugh

Sage smiles too, and they enter the room Colby's in.

Walter sure enough, is sitting there, waiting for someone to return.

"Good. You found her" he said, standing up from the chair he was sitting in, to give her a greeting.

1 hour later...

I think Colby will be fine for now," Toby glances at the watch on his wrist, "it's 10 already. And we need to get home."

He stands up from his seat. Followed by a tired Sage, and a slightly tired Happy.

He grumbled to himself. "Guess I'm driving". He speaks up when he says the next bit. "We'll see you guys at the garage tomorrow".

They wave goodbye to everyone and head outside to the car.

At the apartment...

Toby's in Sage's room. Putting her to bed.

He's sitting on the side, like he usually does, before she goes to sleep.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you today" Sage apologized, tucking the comforter under her chin.

Toby looked at her sternly. "What'd I say about the apologizing"

Sage rolls her eyes at his joke. "No. I'm serious. I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean anything that I said".

Toby only nodded, with a smile.

He was about to stand up, but Sage grabbed his arm. Stopping him.

"I was wondering if maybe I could decorate this room. Now that I'm going to be here awhile" Sage gave a nervous grin.

"Whatever you want. But you need to go to sleep. Walter's letting us come in later, because you need to get some rest. So no getting up at six in the morning" Toby says, fixing her sheets.

"Okay. Can you send Happy in. I wanna say goodnight" Sage asks, squeezing his hand, she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Sure thing, sweetie" he stood up, and exited the room, and she could here Toby telling Happy that she wanted to say goodnight, and Happy's surprised 'really' afterwards.

Soon, Happy comes in the room, obviously trying to hide a grin.

She sits down on the edge of the bed, just like Toby did.

Sage got right to the point. "Are you going to be my mom". She said it with a straight face.

Happy was a little bewildered at the question. It took her a little while to gather her thoughts, and form those into words.

"I-I guess. But only if you want me to" she says, still tripping over her words.

"Okay," Sage smiles, seeming to be content with her answer, "Goodnight". She rolls onto her other side, ready to go to sleep. And Happy stands up and exits the room. Closing the door, and turning off the light on the way.

"Wow"

 **Sorry for taking forever to update. I've been kind of stressed, and I've had a severe writers block for the past few days. But with all the wonderful support from you guys I have a few more ideas. I'm excited to start writing again, but I could still use your ideas.**

 **I still need a lot of ideas for the baby, I have no clue what gender it should be. I want them to have both, but I don't know which one I want more. So you guys have to break the tie.**

 **Thankyou for your support. Love you all. :)**


	28. The Hat Debacle

Chapter 28

The next morning Toby is the first one up. And the only reason for that was because he went to sleep earlier than he usually did.

He's actually calculated his sleep schedule before, and he wakes up after exactly 9 hours of sleep. Which is normal for most people.

So he was up at 6 in the morning, which definitely isn't his usual time getting up.

When he woke, he was surprised to see Happy still laying there, fully asleep, and snoring softly.

Her hair was a mess, and her face was calm, and stress free. This was a sight he's never able to see in the morning. So he propped his head with his hand and elbow, and watched her sleep for a while.

"I should stop reading those dumb books till midnight, and just go straight to sleep" he whispered to himself, while he admired Happy's sleeping figure, and ran a hand through her messy hair.

She started to shiver and stir, so he pulled her closer to him, and wrapped an arm carefully around her torso. Placing a hand on her flat stomach, before he started whispering again.

"Hi baby. I'm really excited to meet you, and I'm sure mommy is too. Your big sister Sage will teach you so many things, and I promise to make sure that you will have the best life, out of everyone we know."

He layed his head down on the pillow while he talked for a while. Talking about his day, and recent events. Just like he did 12 years ago, when Hazel was pregnant with Sage.

What he didn't notice right away, was the fact that Happy was awake, and listening to every word, silently. Trying to regulate her breathing, so Toby wouldn't notice she was awake.

The way he talked to the baby, made her smile. 'Of course he's going to be the cheesy one' she though to herself.

She moved her hands up, so they were rested on top of Toby's, over her belly.

Toby's eyes widened, and he sat up a bit to look around at Happy's face. "Your awake?"

"Only for a minute or two" Happy sighed, closing her eyes, and leaning back into Toby's bare chest.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up" he said, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"You did, but I don't mind. I think it's kind of cute" she replied, with a smirk.

Toby ignored it, which was very unlike him. "Do you want me to make you some coffee" he asked, ready to jump out of bed at her command.

"No, that sounds terrible. Why does that sound so terrible. I love coffee." Happy's face scrunched up in disgust, and confusion.

Toby laughs, while he buries his face into her hair. "I should've known, but it's because of the baby... Would you like me to get you some tea instead" he asked.

"Yeah that sounds better, but I can get it" she started moving the sheets so she could get out of bed, but Toby jumped on her, pinning her down. "But I wanna get it" he whined.

"Why?" Happy laughed, "it's just tea."

"Yes, but you're carrying my baby, and you deserve only the best. Nothing less" he said, nuzzling her neck.

"This isn't how you treated Hazel is it" Happy said. And she would have crossed her arms if they weren't pinned to her sides.

"No. I didn't love Hazel, and I love you. And I want to get you some tea, and maybe make some pancakes" his eyes were begging for approval. Using the puppy dog eyes, that Sage had definitely inherited from him.

Happy rolled her eyes with a smile, and sighed, "Fine, but Sage has to help you with the pancakes. I don't want to be eating charcoal for breakfast"

Toby pouted at her comment. "That was only one time. I really am a good cook".

"I don't care. Go. I'm hungry" Happy pushes him off her, and off of the bed. And he landed with a thump when he hit the ground.

He grunts and runs to the kitchen, in only his boxers.

"At least put some pants on!" She yells, before he gets to far away.

"What? You don't like my smiley face boxers" he jokes, running back into the room, showing them off.

"No. It's because there is an 11 year old girl in the other room that would be scarred for life after seeing you in those" Happy says, while he struggles to put on a pair of jeans.

He finishes and runs back to the kitchen. "Go time"

Half and hour later...

Toby walks in with a tray, and food stacked on top of it.

Sage walks in behind him, with a grin. She jumps up on the bed, beside her, while Toby places the tray carefully in her lap.

There's pancakes, with a smile made out of fruit. A glass of chocolate milk, several pieces of bacon, and vase flowers, all on one tray.

She would have grabbed Toby's collar, to drag him down and kiss him as a thankyou, but he wasn't wearing a shirt. So she improved.

She wrapped a finger around one of his belt loops, and pulled him towards her, and luckily he got the idea, and bent down to give her a quick, but searing kiss.

"Is it Mother's Day or something" Sage asks, leaning against Happy, "because if it is, i'm sorry, but I forgot to get a present".

"It's not Mother's Day," Toby said with a laugh, "but in a way it sort of is". He mumbled the last bit. And Happy slapped his bare belly with the back of her hand for the comment.

"Shut up and get me some syrup" she said, plucking a strawberry off the pancake and putting it in her mouth.

Toby saluted, and marched off to the kitchen. "Yes ma'am". While Sage laughed, and Happy smirked at his retreating figure.

1 hour later...

"Walter just texted. Said we better get our butts to the garage" Toby said, carrying his phone in his hand, into the bedroom, where Sage and Happy were.

"Up, up, up" he clapped his hands, grabbing a more clean shirt to pull over his head. Then looking around for his hat.

"Hap, have you see-" he turns around, and sees Sage sitting on his bed with his hat on her head. The biggest grin imaginable on her face.

A playful grin printed out onto Toby's face. Making Sage start giggling like a little girl, and bouncing up and down on the bed in anticipation.

"You stole my hat" he narrowed his eyes playfully, and Happy sat beside her laughing and laughing.

Sage squirmed in her spot. Then Toby lunged at her, only to miss.

She had jumped up, and she was coming back down, she landed on his back, and slid down, onto the ground. She ran into the other room, still giggling uncontrollably.

Toby smirked, then looked over at Happy for a brief moment. "You get dressed, and I'll take care of my hat", and with that he was off, chasing Sage down the hallway.

She could hear the squeals, laughter, and playful growls.

Happy grinned again, and got off the bed to get dressed.

Living room...

Sage was hiding, and Toby was pacing around trying to find her. Following the trail of quiet giggles.

He found her hiding behind the couch, and yelled 'boo', making her squeal and jump in surprise. She tried to run again, but this time Toby trapped her in his arms before she got to far away.

He wrapped them around her, holding her in place. "I think a naughty little girl deserves punishment. Don't you think" Toby growls.

"Anything but the tickle monster, please" Sage half begged, half laughing from Toby already tickling her sides.

Toby pinned her to the ground, grabbing his hat in the process. Then tickled her, making loud laughs echo through the apartment, along with a few squeals.

Happy walks out, fully dressed, to see it. And she comes to Sage's rescue, and pins Toby down, and told him off of Sage.

"Hurry, get him. I can't hold him for long" Happy laughs, as Sage scrambled off the ground to start tickling Toby mercilessly , and stealing the hat back in the process.

Toby pretends to be completely useless, and extremely ticklish, for Sage and Happy's enjoyment.

His phone starts ringing, and they don't stop, so he grabs it and answers while in a fit of giggles.

"Walter! *giggle* help, I'm being *giggle* attacked *giggle* by two very mean *giggle* ladies" he kept laugghing into the phone, which seemed to irritate Walter to no end.

"Toby, you need to get here now," Walter insisted.

Toby could tell something was wrong, and he stopped laughing, and sat up. With Happy now sitting in his lap, and Sage hanging from his neck, giggling.

"What's going on Walt?" Toby asks, and Happy and Sage stop smiling and laughing.

"Oscars here. And he says that he'll only talk to you or Sage" Walter answers. And Toby frowns.

Sage still has her arms wrapped around his neck, and standing behind him. She looked around his shoulder to look at his distressed face, then at Happy.

"What if I don't want Sage to talk to him" Toby asks stubbornly.

And Walter answers like its a normal thing. "Then the other children being tested in the same way as Sage was, across the country will die, without the information he has".

Toby stands up, pushing Happy off his lap, and to the ground.

"Sage go get dressed. We got to go," Toby instructs sending her to her room.

"Toby, the probability of him telling one of us the location of the other testing places, is very low, without letting Sage talk to him" Toby could hear Sylvester talking to him in the background.

"Whose all there" he asks.

"Everyone but you guys. Along with Oscar, in handcuffs" Walter answers, "and Cabe brought in Aidan too, because Oscar also demanded on him being present too, for some reason he won't tell us why. So there's a lot going on right now. And we need you guys here".

"Ok, we'll be right there" Toby says, hanging up the phone. Then running a hand through his hair.

"What's going on" Happy asks, standing up from where she landed, after falling off his lap.

Toby helped her stand up, since he was the one to cause her fall. "Oscars at the garage. Only asking to talk to me or Sage. He apparently knows about more testing locations".

Happy's eyes widen. "Really? You aren't going to let him see her right?" She asks.

"I don't want to, but I don't think I have a choice. He's threatening to stay absolutely silent about it. And that can kill and harm a lot more kids. And apparently Aidan's is somehow involved in this too. But Walter wouldn't explain why."

Happy shook her head in disbelief. "I knew he hadn't changed". She hugged herself with her arms, looking at the closed door of Sages room.

"She'll be okay. She's the toughest kid we know." Toby comforts, wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm not worried about him hurting her, I'm worried about how she'll react to Aidan possibly being in trouble. They seemed really close" Happy says, not making a move to wrap her arms around him.

Sage walks out of her room, Toby's hat still sitting on her head. A little too big for her, so it kept falling down in front of her eyes.

Toby let's go of Happy, and smiles.

"Let's go. We've got stuff to do at the garage" he said, letting Sage run past him and to the door.

She's wearing her LA, grey t-shirt, and a pair of baggy jeans, topped with Toby's too big fedora. She ditched her flannels for the day, probably because it was so hot outside.

She unlocks the door, and runs down the stairs, racing to the car.

"We need to put her on the track team or something. She has way too much energy" Toby mutters, locking the doors behind them.

Happy stops him at the last second, and rushed inside. She grabbed a pile of papers, and walks back out.

"Don't want to forget these. Mine as well get it over and done with" she said, holding up the divorce papers in her hand.

"Good idea" Toby locks the door, and they both climb down the three flights of stairs.

At the garage...

Walter is sitting at his desk, watching Ralph atempt to entertain the young boy, named Aidan.

Sylvester's watching him with a close eye as well. And Cabe is dealing with Oscar in the interrogation room.

"What's wrong with you" Paige comes up behind him, and places her hands on his shoulders, letting them slide down the front of his chest.

"Nothing's wrong" he said, a little too quickly.

"There is. And I know it." She replies stubbornly.

"I just...Aidan's supposed to be a genius. But I don't understand" he said, watching Aidan get distracted by something on the ceiling.

"What do you mean" Paige asks, resting her hands back on his shoulders.

"He doesn't act like a genius" he said, and Aidan starts walking around in circles, talking to himself, and doing a little dramatization with his hands at the same time.

Sylvester comes over to Walter's desk. "Walter? Do you know what's wrong with this kid?" Sylvester asks, looking behind him, at Aidan.

Before Walter can speak, Paige walks over to Aidan, blocking his path.

He doesn't seem to mind, he just bounces on the balls of his feet, and makes car noises, and explosions. Then he starts talking, but not to her. More like he's quoting something, or someone.

Sylvester overheard. "That's George Washington's farewell address" he said.

Aidan nodded, and started running in circles again, making noises, and jumping up and down.

Ralph sighs, and watches him go round and round.

Eventually Toby, Happy, and Sage show up. Sage comes running in first, with the fedora resting on top of her head. And Toby and Happy came in next.

Sage caught sight of Aidan. "Aidan!" She yelled, excitedly.

"Alaina!" He yells,running up to her, and making some more car noises.

Sage ignored the name, and looked down at him. "What's the document of the day"

And Aidan starts talking again, the same as earlier, Washington's farewell address.

"I don't know which one that is, but great job" She doesn't seems bothered by his weird actions or antics. She seems almost used to them, and encouraging them.

He runs off again, stopping abruptly, looking around, and starts running in a circle again.

Sylvester shuffles up to her. "What's wrong with him" he asks.

"He hasn't had his medicine. Its supposed to calm him down, and he acts a little more normal. He hasn't had it in what seems like awhile" she glances back at him.

Toby and Happy are watching from a distance, as he goes round and round. "What's going on" Toby whispers to Happy, never taking his eyes off the young boy.

"No clue" she says. Her own eyes glued to him too, as he runs in circles.

Sage walks back over to Aidan. "Aidan. Where's the medicine?" She points to her mouth, and pretends like she's taking a pill.

Aidan shakes his head, and starts running again.

She sighs, and run up to Walter desk.

He's looking down at his computer, and is apparently ignoring her. She makes herself comfortable, and starts her speech. "Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter Walter-" Walter cuts her off with an annoyed 'What!'.

"Are (a bunch of materials, or stuff that I don't know about) kept in the garage" she asks.

He gives her a confused nod. "Where?" She asks, and adjusts the hat on top of her head, and moved it out of her eyes.

He points in the direction of the kitchen, as she quickly thanks him, and runs off in that direction.

She starts rummaging through cupboards, and bins, until she finds everything she needs.

Toby walks up to her, while she's getting out a bowl. "What are you doing".

She pushes the hat out of her face again, and starts pouring ingredients in the bowl.

"A temporary medicine, that will help Aidan relax" she answers, mixing in a little bit of water, and stirring it until all the powder dissolved..

Toby gives her a knowing look. "I know what your making". Sage grins back, and stops Aidan in his tracks. And makes him drink the whole glass of 'water'.

She ventured back to the kitchen, and puts all the ingredients she used away in their proper places.

"How'd you learn to do that" Toby asks.

"Oscar taught me. When I was released, Aidan was supposed to come with me when I escaped. And I needed to know some things, so I would be able to take care of him. But Oscar ended up being caught, and he could only get me out" Sage answered, putting the rest of the ingredients away.

Toby nods his head, and gives an apologetic smile.

"It's okay though. I didn't remember him when I was let go. If I did, I wouldn't have been able to go anywhere or do anything. He's like my little brother, and he was my responsibility since the day he was brought in"

Toby wrapped her up in a hug, before being rudely interrupted by Walter.

"Toby, we need you to talk to Oscar now" he said.

And Sage broke away from him, and looked from Walter and back to Toby. "Oscars here?" She asked.

Toby nodded, and coaxed her towards Sylvester, playing with a much more calm Aidan.

She sighed an gave in, reluctantly. Allowing Walter and Toby to enter the interrogation room to talk to Oscar and Cabe.

Interrogation room...

Oscar was handcuffed, and sitting in the metal chair at one end of the table. He wasn't happy, for sure.

"I said I'll only talk to him" he pointed to Toby, with a scowl on his face.

Toby's face was expressionless. His hatred for this man was indescribable. So to avoid any mishaps or rude comments, he kept his mouth shut, and his face emotionless.

"Very well," Cabe looked over at Toby before exiting the room, "get him to spill".

He and Walter left the room, and Toby closed the blinds. To keep anyone from looking in.

"What do you want?" He sat across from him in a folding chair, much like his.

He crossed one leg over the other, and folded his arms.

Oscar scowled. "At first I liked you. But then I find out that you stole my wife".

Toby's expression didn't change. He was using every possible trick he learned, to keep his poker face. At least gambling was good for something.

"I convince your daughter that you love her, and I convince her to forgive you, and I save her life. And all I get in return from you is the fact that my wife freaking in love with you!" He's leaning forward, closer to Toby's face. Trying to come across as more of a threat than he really is.

"You don't scare me," Toby unfolds his arms, and uncrossed his legs, leaning forward just like Oscar did, and he spoke in a low and threatening voice, "and you can't hurt me. No matter how hard you try. The fact that theirs a fed standing outside this door with a gun, and the fact that you are handcuffed to this table. And I don't think threatening me, will get you a more convenient release date. So why don't we talk about why you're really here".

Toby leaned back into his chair, folding his arms and legs again.

Oscar growled and gave a defeated sigh. "I don't know what you're talking about" he huffed.

"What about the fact that you know whose behind all these kidnappings and cruel testings".

"I can't tell you" he says, turning his head, to avoid making eye contact.

"And why not" Toby presses.

"Because he'll kill me" he replies with a scowl.

"Who will kill you" Toby leans forward again, closer to Oscar.

"I can't say"

"I see. So instead of you saying. I will guess. You care for those children, and you claimed that you were forced to beat and work for Dr. Barnes. Perhaps he, or another person had some information about you- Ah, it wasn't Dr. Barnes. So he isn't the main man, and as for the information, I would guess...drugs", Toby nods in confirmation. "It was possibly someone you knew, or someone of higher authority- someone of high authority it is," Oscar winces every time a piece of the puzzle is connected. Driving him closer and closer to his death bed.

"So maybe someone part of the police force, or the government- the government. I see. This is getting interesting-" he's interrupted by Oscar putting his hands up and telling him to stop.

"Ok, fine. I'll tell you everything. Since your just going to guess all of it anyway" he sighs in defeat.

"You may know former director of Homeland Security. Director Merrik. He was the one that caught me, and assigned me to Barnes. After his death, his superior started hiring more and more, placing then throughout different government facilties. Such as the CIA, FBI, LAPD, CDC, Homeland,and a whole bunch of others. Stationed to start an illegal campaign, throughout the United States." Oscar took a breath, and a minute, gathering his thoughts, and determining the best way to hand them over.

"He wanted a perfect world. With perfect people throughout. So he started researching geniuses, how they would benefit the world, with different skills and capabilities. In short, he was trying to find a way to create the perfect human being. There were three steps, and three different possible solutions he came up with. Genetics, Training, or Medical Infusions. So we started kidnapping children, with parents with an above average IQ. Seeing how they grew, and how they reacted to certain situations."

"They don't start standing out until around two. When they start walking and talking. And training begins at age one. Where they start being exposed to math, reading, and science. But we soon found out that there is not a 100% chance that the child will be as smart as the parent. So they started forcing information, and forcing them to get smarter. And that's when the beatings started" Oscar grimaced at the memory.

"That worked for a little while. But then it started to fail, after the children started becoming too weak. So they started the Medical Infusions. Where they try and alter the DNA in such a way to make them smarter and stronger. That's what you saw in the room. The children who were showing signs of genius. They were trying to make them smarter. And it was apparently a painful process" Toby stopped Oscar there.

"How many children went through that, and when"

"Usually around the age of four or five. I tried saving as many as I could, but some I just...couldn't" Oscar hides his face in his hands.

"Did my daughter go through that?" Toby's face was no longer emotionless. He completely forgot about keeping his poker face. He was worried and terrified.

Oscar nodded his head. "I remember the day. She was fighting against me, when I stuck the needle in her neck. She didn't stay very long, because I was able to sneak her out within a year or so".

"She was on that machine for a year?" Toby asks, his eyes widening.

Oscar nodded. "She was probably one of the smartest kids we ever had. And If Barnes ever found out, I just couldn't imagine what he would have done to her. Along with Aidan".

"When did these testings start? When did this 'superior' of yours start getting real serious about geniuses"

Oscars head nods to the door. "When they Walter O'brien"

Toby stands up, "I think I've heard enough. Cabe will ask you whatever questions he has left" Toby says, swinging open the door, and letting Cabe enter, who had been listening through the door the whole time. Shock was on his face as he exited, almost rendered speechless. But he hid it, as soon as he came into Oscar's view.

He sat down at the kitchen table with his head in his hands, and looked around the garage.

Ralph, Sage, and Aidan were playing happily with Sylvester. Some type of question and memorization game, that Aidan seemed to be a pro at.

Paige was watching from her desk, trying to answer a couple of the questions on her own, but failing miserably.

Walter was also watching from his desk. Trying to hide a smile, as he worked on a few of the case reports laying around his desk.

Happy was sitting at Toby's desk, with her feet kicked up. Eating a bag of chips, and chiming in every once in a while on the game. And at some point Sage must have handed the hat over to Happy for safe keeping, who was wearing it proudly on her head.

Toby gave a half smile, as he watched all of them. And then it disappeared just as quickly, when he saw Cabe walk out the room, with a frown on his face.


	29. It's all done

Chapter 29

Toby jumped up from his chair at the table, and ran to meet Cabe. He was pouring coffee from his travel mug, into a mug he got out from one of the cabinets. With a blank look on his face.

"What's the news". Toby asks, leaning his back against the counter, cradling his own coffee in his hands.

"Senator Jones is the one behind all these kidnappings. He has a ledger in his office, on his computer, that has the locations and names of the victims, and participants" Cabe places both hands flat on the counter, and hangs his head. Ignoring his coffee for a short moment.

Toby narrows his eyes at him. "You're not telling me something. What is it?"

Cabe sighs, and turns to look at him. "He says he knows more, but he refuses to speak until he talks to Sage"

Toby scowls and spins on his heels. Taking a seat again, and pushing the chair back, from his forceful land.

Cabe walks up behind him, and places a hand on his shoulder. "Son. He knows how to get into the office. He claims that he's been planing it for years. And he demands to talk to Sage. You can go in with her, but it needs to happen."

Toby sighs, and his tense shoulders fall. He stands up and walks into the view of the rest of the team.

As soon as Happy and Sage see him, they freeze and glance at each other with a playful grin. Happy removed the hat from her head, and tosses it like a frisbee to Sage. She catches it, with a jump, and plants it on her own head. Wrapping her arms around the top, to guard it, and hold it down.

She splits from the group, and runs to Toby, with a playful glint in her eyes.

Toby fakes a playful smile right back, and reaches out to grab her, as she tries to run past him.

He picks her up, and swings her over his shoulder.

She squeals in delight, as she hangs upside down, while he bounces her just a little.

"I think it's time I get my hat back don't your think" he says, jumping around the garage, with Sage hanging behind him.

Aidan and Ralph come to her rescue. Aidan latches himself to Toby's leg, to prevent him from moving, and Sage passes the hat off to Ralph behind Toby's back. And he takes off with it.

All three are in giggle fits, while Toby tries to run after him, with a 40 pound child strapped to his leg, and a 70 pound child over his shoulder.

"Get back here" he yells at Ralph. Then he turns to the rest of the team. "Are you gonna help a brother out or what?"

Walter rolls his eyes and stands up. Happy does the same. Paige just laughs, and Sylvester follows Walter. And Cabe just watched with a quizzical expression.

Sylvester tries to detach Aidan from Toby's leg, and is grunting in effort. And Aidan is just having the time of his life, while tightening his iron grip.

Walter decides to join in, and participate just for a little while. So he chased after Ralph, to stake out where he is, and relay the information back to Toby.

Happy helps Toby get Sage down from his back. He lets go, and she falls into Happy's arms.

She pouts up at her. "You're supposed to be on my side".

Happy smirks, and puts a finger to her lips while she helps Sage put her feet on the ground. "I am on your side. But I'm undercover, and you have to pretend so you don't blow it" Happy whispers, while Toby's back is still turned.

Sage puts a hand over her mouth for effect, and nods in understanding.

Toby turns around, with a goofy look on his face.

"We have one prisoner," he looks at Sage, "and one person attached to me" he looks down at Aidan, who's grinning really big. And Sylvester's still trying to pull him off.

Toby stops him, by placing a hand on his shoulder. "This is how you do it Sly." He kneels down, as best he can, and starts tickling him. He bursts into fits of laughter, but is still keeping a firm grip. So he stats tickling under his arms. And Sylvester's prying at the same time.

Sage and Happy are laughing at the scene, and Paige is about to fall out of her chair from all her laughing. Walter and Ralph are no where in sight. And Cabe would have been laughing and smiling, maybe even helping if the situations were different.

His hands unclasp first, but his legs are still wrapped around him. Toby untied the legs from around his shin, and Sylvester falls back with Aidan still giggling in his arms.

Toby's about to chase after Ralph, but Cabe interrupts him, with an angry shout.

"Toby! We don't need to be playing games right now. This is serious, and I'd appreciate if for once in your darn life, you wouldn't take something as a big joke" Cabe scolds.

Everyone in the room stops laughing, and turn to look at him. Even Walter and Ralph peer around the corner.

Everyone looks at Toby with a confused expression, and Aidan does too, which is saying something.

"Sorry Cabe. I was trying to lighten the mood a bit first" Toby says. He didn't reply with a witty or inappropriate comment, he just gave in.

Which seemed to surprise Cabe a bit. Along with as everyone else.

He turns to look at Sage. "Come on. Oscar wants to talk to you" Toby says, giving her a playful nudge towards Cabe.

She looks up at him, then at Cabe, and starts walking towards the interrogation room in the back of the garage. Toby's about to follow, but Happy grabs onto his arm. "You said that she wouldn't have to go anywhere near that bastard" Happy says, in a threatening whisper.

Toby replies by grabbing her own arm, and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I know. He just knows too much, and he won't give it up, if he doesn't talk to Sage."

Happy let's go of him, reluctantly, and watches as he walks into the interrogation room again, following Sage and Cabe. Then closes the door behind them.

When they disappear behind the door, Ralph comes out, followed by Walter, carrying Toby's hat in his hand.

Sylvester let's go of Aidan and stands up. "What's going on Happy" he asks, while dusting his pants off.

"I don't know. It must be pretty bad though" Happy sits down on the couch without a word, and just watches the door.

Aidan, clings to Sylvester's leg, just like he had Toby's, but this time it appears to be out of fear, rather than playfulness.

Sylvester sighs, when he realizes what predicament he was in, and limps the best he can to his desk. Grunting from the effort.

Ralph sits down next to Happy on the couch, and Walter goes to sit back at his desk, handing Happy the Hat on the way.

"Aunt Happy. Why was Toby playing like that when something bad was going on" Ralph asks.

"Well, knowing Toby. He was probably trying to lighten the blow, by putting us all in a good mood before hand. Or by cheering up Sage, to keep her from being nervous. I honestly don't know" Happy says, kicking her feet up on the coffee table, and placing the hat on her head again.

In the interrogation room...

"Do you remember what I told you before you left" Oscar asks Sage, his hands folded in front of him, while he leans forward.

Sage was sitting in the same seat Toby was in earlier, and Toby was standing right beside her the whole time. Keeping a suspicious eye on Oscar.

"Yeah, I remember Now, but not when I woke up. Do you still need my help" Sage asks.

Cabe's phone buzzes from the corner of the room, and he steps out the to answer after seeing who it was. Leaving Sage and Toby with Oscar.

"Good," he slides a folded piece of paper to Sage across the table, "I need both you and Aidan to do this, he knows how to get in, you just need to do your thing. Just like we practiced. Ok" he gives her an awkward smile.

Toby interrupts them, placing a hand in the middle of the table. And leaning in just a way to block Sage from his view. "Is that it".

Oscar nods, and Toby ushers Sage out the room.

Before Toby closes the door behind them, he turns to look at Oscar one more time. "Happy's gonna come in, she needs you to sign some papers."

When he closes the door, he can hear the angry growl coming from the man inside.

As soon as Sage is out of the room. She sprints to the main part of the garage. Looking around, before speaking up.

"Where'd Aidan go?"

Sylvester points his hand to under his desk, and rolls his chair, little by little, out from underneath his desk, to expose his leg. The leg Aidan was still attached to.

Sage runs up to him, and kneels down to be face to face with him.

"Hey bud. Can you do me a favor" she ask, in a sweet voice, while petting his hair.

Aidan nods his head enthusiastically and unclasp a his hands and legs from around Sylvester, jumps up, and follows Sage to the couch.

She grabs her bag, that's sitting next to Ralph on the couch.

She pulls out her new laptop, and places it on the coffee table, turning it to face Aidan. She pulls out the paper and scans it for no more than a second, before setting it beside the computer for Aidan to see.

"What are you doing" Ralph says it, but everyone was thinking it, as they watched Aidan excitedly tap on the keys, and open a coding program they were not familiar with.

"We gotta, hack into these individual computers, and shut down all terms of communication between them. Then we need to get past the security pass codes developed by strong RCG's , and look in the file for the ledger containing all the various locations for the testing stations. And each person involved". Sage explains it so quickly, they almost didn't catch what she said.

Paige speaks first, with a question. "What's an RCG?"

Sage isn't surprised or annoyed by Paige's lack of knowledge, unlike the other geniuses.

"And RCG is a Random Code Generator. It creates different pass codes for each computer, and it usually takes a while to break with normal coding"

"What do you mean normal coding?" Sylvester pipes up from the back of the group.

"I don't know much about coding in general, but past generations, that were raised in the conditions me and Aidan were raised in worked to create a totally new type of code, that would work well to get into just these computers. It has some quirks, but Aidan's been cleaning it up for the past few years"

"We can help. You just need to show us the basics, and we can figure the rest out" Walter says standing up and pulling out his own laptop, ready to go.

Sage shakes her head. "Only Aidan knows how to do it. He's been trained to do this stuff since he was two. That's why he was supposed to get out with me. Because he needed to help me end this...whatever it is" she starts reading off some things to Aidan. Deciding the words written on the paper out loud. And Aidan gladly starts typing away again on the computer in silence. With the occasional hums, and mumblings of the hour.

Walter looks offended for a second, before looking over Aidan's shoulder, to see what he was doing. Along with all the other geniuses.

"I'm no hacker, but I do know that those aren't normal codings. I didn't think it would be this different" Toby's says, looking over Aidan's shoulder.

"I know. The only reason it was developed was for this sole purpose, nothing else. Aidan has memorized thousands upon thousands lines of code, just for this, and came up with a lot more. Each computer is on a network that makes it impossible for regular hackers, or coding to get in. Even you guys. But over the years, Oscar used other genius children to break it down, and make it vulnerable in only this aspect" Sage says, handing Walter the piece of paper.

"So these are all the different computers you need to get in" he asks, looking at Sage for confirmation.

"Yes, and if Aidan does it right, and he will, then all of this will be over, for good, and the information needed to put everyone involved away for life will show up right on your computer". Sage writes a couple more things on the paper, and sets it beside Aidan again.

Walter looks over his shoulder, at his laptop, and then back at Aidan. "Oscar did all this?"

"I didn't think he was a genius" Happy speaks up, for the first time in a while.

"No. He's not a genius, he's just the messenger. The genius children that were in captivity did all this. They came up with the plan, and Oscar just transferred all the information to the next generations. It was all done in secret, we never knew the people working before us, we just had to trust they did things right. This piece of paper has been around for years. Oscars just been taking care of it, and adding to it whenever we tell him".

Cabe came back to the group around that time, and looked at everyone gathered around the coffee table.

"What's going on?" He asks, putting his phone back into his jacket pocket.

"Sage and Aidan, are stopping all the testing sights, and putting all the information we need on Walters computer". Ralph answers, eyes hooked on the computer screen.

"Oh, well. Ok. Uhm that was one of my agents staying with Colby, and he's doing fine" Cabe says, before walking back to the kitchen, when nobody said anything in response.

A few minutes later, a ring echoed through the garage. It was Walters laptop, receiving an important message.

Walter rushed to his desk, and opened the laptop, clicking a few times, then scanning its contents.

He gave a muffled, and triumphant laugh, and looked up at the rest of the team. "It's all here. Every piece" he said, running a hand through his hair in surprise.

"Just like I said" Sage said with a smug grin, sitting on the coffee table with her legs crossed underneath her.

Aidan stood up and grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Can we play now" he was totally unaffected by everything that just went down.

Sage smiled, and she waved at Ralph to follow them. And they ran off to some place in the back of the garage.

Walter looked over the information several times with his chin rested in his hand as he concentrated, sorting through it, and organizing to send to Homeland, so they could retrieve everything properly and efficiently.

Toby sat next to Happy on the couch. "Nows a good time to talk to Oscar and give him those papers." He said, looking at the folded paper, protruding from her jacket pocket, while taking his hat, and placing it back properly on his head.

Happy sighed and stood up. "I guess". She walked up to Cabe and asked him if she could talk to Oscar. Cabe nodded and told her to 'play nice'.

When Sylvester saw that Toby was alone, he shuffled up to him, so he was standing in front of him, while Toby looked expectantly up at him.

"Toby? Do you think there's something wrong with Aidan...up here?" He taps on the side of his head.

Toby leans forward, while nodding his head. "I believe so. He seems to have an odd case of ADHD, caused by the trauma he has experienced over the past years. But if he gets the right medicine, and care, he shouldn't be too wild" Toby says.

"What do you mean? How can that be caused by trauma?" (I have no clue if any of this is actually accurate. So just play along. It sounded smart, so...yeah)

"The past few years he's hasn't had the proper training and nutrition a normal child should recieve. And to add to the fact that he was a genius, which often coincides with autistic like behavior. But Aidan is so young, his body still doesn't know how to deal with the physical and emotional pain that has developed over the years. So part of his brain, In a way, shuts down for a while, before things get back to, what seems normal. Which causes his odd behavior, and tendency to ignore things."

Sylvester nods, "Oh, I just was wondering, because he seemed very oblivious to everything going on. Except for when Sage left." He said.

"Yeah, probably because she was the first and only person he trusted for quite a while. And seeing her leave, in a distressed situation probably tipped him off. He's fine" Toby gave him a reassuring smile, and reached for the top of his head, before realizing his hat was gone.

"Wait! How did she-... I was just-..." He huffs, and falls back against the couch. Sitting there for a while, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Instead of getting up, he just lounged on the couch the rest of the time, and waited for Happy to get back.

He woke up from someone running a small hand through his hair.

He opened his eyes and saw Happy sitting on the edge of the couch, beside his torso. "Hey Hap, where is everyone?" He asked, blinking rapidly, attempting to get the sleep out of his eyes.

"Cabe took everyone to eat lunch, and see Colby. Sage wouldn't stop pestering him about it. I decided to stay with you, and let you sleep a bit longer. You looked really tired" she said, running her hand through his hair again.

"What about Oscar? Is he still here?"

"No, an agent came and picked him up about an hour ago, before Cabe and the others left." She said, sitting down on the couch, next to him.

"Great Scott! How long was I out" Toby asked, looking at her.

"About an hour and a half. Paige threatened the kids, she said 'I swear if you don't calm down none of you will get any ice cream for a week'. And they all calmed down and played hide n seek. It was pretty funny how seriously they took the threat" Happy chuckled at the memory.

"Mm. We would have let Sage have ice cream either way" Toby closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the arm of the couch, as Happy continued to massage his scalp.

"How did the talk with Oscar go?" He hums, wrapping an arm around Happy's waist to pull her closer.

"It went ok. I got him to sign the papers. And I never have to speak to him again". Toby could hear the sigh of relief and feel her muscles relax against his hands on her waist.

"So I can marry you now?" He asks playfully, cracking open one eye to look at her.

"Not so fast, cowboy" Happy joked. "I'm gonna enjoy being single for awhile first".

"You won't be single, you'll just, not be married" Toby grins.

"Your right. I just don't want to rush things. We have it really good right now, and I don't want to ruin that".

"Well I'd say now is about a good time. Your pregnant with my baby, we got a daughter, and we're about to buy a house, and a car. But if you want me to wait. I'll wait" he said, sitting up, to kiss her.

"Just don't propose in a public area. I don't want to be the center of attention" she whispered, when their lips parted just a bit. "And I would like to wait for the baby. I don't want to look and feel like a fat pregnant women in a wedding dress"

He kissed her again. "Never".

When they pulled apart, Happy sighed and looked him in the eye.

"Now don't freak out when I say this, but...," she bit her lip, "I love you Doc"

With the rest of the team...

Cabe pulls up to the McDonalds drive thru, in the big black van.

"Can I take your order?" A very high pitched, feminine voice rang through the van.

"Yeah. Just a second" Cabe turned in his seat to look at everyone in the back.

"What do you want?" He asked.

Sage stood up from her seat, and leaned over the middle console to looks out the front window, and at the menu. Her hat, falling in her face multiple times as she tried to read.

"I don't want anything. Anything fastfood related I refuse to eat. But I will take a bottle of water. It has to be in a bottle" Sylvester said.

Cabe nodded, and looked at Paige and Ralph.

"I'd like a large chef chicken salad, and small fry" Paige said. "I want a double cheeseburger, with no onions, and a small fry" Ralph said, squeezing in next to Sage, to squint at the menu too.

"Aidan will have a six piece nugget, I guess. Along with a medium fry that we can share. And I'd like just a regular cheeseburger with everything on it" Sage said. Pulling the hat out of her eyes, and blowing her hair out of her face.

"Ok. Hold up, we want..." Cabe repeats everyone's order into the microphone. Along with his own. Then he looks at Walter. And Walter just orders a double cheeseburger, which Cabe also repeats.

"Should we get something for Toby and Happy" he asks, directing the question to Paige.

But instead Sylvester answers.

"Toby would want a Quarter Pounder, with extra ketchup, and Happy would want a BigMac. And they both could share a large fry." He says.

Cabe shrugs his shoulders, and orders. Then pulls up to the window.

The lady looks at them with an amused smile on her face. And Sage waves at her from the center console, that she is leaning over.

"Looks like you got a carful today" she jokes, taking Cabe's cash.

"Yeah, and I'm missing two" he says with a grunt, and taking his change.

She gestured at Sage with a grin, "I like your hat".

Sage smiles, as the hat falls in her eyes again. "Thanks. I stole it from my dad"

Everyone laughs, as Sage grins, and sticks out her tongue at everybody in the back.

"You have a nice day", Cabe says, pulling up behind the Dodge in front of them.

"Why didn't you flash you're badge, don't you guys at least get discounts" Sage asks.

"No. I don't need to use my badge everywhere I go." Cabe says.

"You could have got a cheaper coffe by ordering a senior coffe instead of a regular one" Sage says, then Walter chimes in.

"She's right. You're the right age, and you wouldn't be questioned about it either" Walter said from beside him.

Paige places a hand on both of their shoulders. A silent gesture to tell them to 'shut up'. She pulls Sage off the console, and back into her seat, in between Ralph and Aidan.

Cabe taps his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, as they wait in the line.

They pull up to the window where they recieve their food. And they get three large bags. But Walter doesn't let him move up, and out of the way, until they do the bag check.

They must check the bags to make sure they have everything.

So they started the long process of handing everything out.

"Walter, Paige. Sage...Ralph, Paige, Aidan, Paige, Sage. Me, and that's Happy's and Toby's. And Sylvester's water is right here. We're all good." Cabe says, about to pull up.

But Ralph calls from the back. "Wait. I didn't get my fries"

Cabe rummages through the three bags, but doesn't find them. So he tells the drive thru guy that their missing some fries. And he gives it to Cabe, who then hands it back to Paige. Who hands it off to her son. And everyone is satisfied.

Cabe drives off, and sees the guy at the window snickering from his rearview mirror.

"Ok. Let's go home. Cabe sighs, and drives out of the parking lot and onto the main highway back to the garage.

At the garage...

Paige slides open the side door to the van, letting Sage, Aidan, and Ralph jump out and race Into the garage.

Sylvester climbs out next, chasing after the kids, and Paige closes the door behind her.

"Should we have gone in first, just to make sure it was G rated in there" Paige asks, standing next to Cabe as he climbed out of the drivers seat.

"Well I haven't heard any screams of horror yet, so things can't be that bad" Cabe said, holding the door to the garage open for Paige.

Sage was already at the couch, standing in front of Toby and Happy.

Toby has his feet kicked over the other side of the couch, and his head resting in Happy's lap, as he tiredly listens to Sage ramble.

"We brought you food" she says, holding out the warm McDonalds bag.

Happy takes it, and rummages through.

Pretty much dropping Toby's food on his face, and digging out her own.

"Sit up dork. So I can eat" Happy lifts her leg, so Toby sits up with a grunt and leans against the back of the couch. Unwrapping his burger.

"Tanks Gabe" Toby yells through a mouthful of food. Driving his hand in the air, to give him a thumbs up across the room.

Cabe gives one in response, while stuffing his own face with food, and sits down with the rest of the team at the kitchen table.

The kids run off to continue their previous game of 'hide n seek', while the adults talk.

Cabe runs a hand down his face.

"What's going on with Aidan. Why is he here" Sylvester asks, hands folded on the table.

"When we went in to question Oscar at the department. He said he'd only spill if he could talk to Sage. And Aidan had to be around as well. So I called up one of my agents, and he dropped him off at the garage for me." Cabe answered, leaning back in his chair, and placing his hands over his stomach.

"So when's he going to leave" Walter asks bluntly.

Paige hits his arm. "They're having fun. Just let them be kids for a while"

"An agent should be picking him up soon, to bring him back to the orphanage."

That one word seemed to draw the attention of everybody in the garage.

Sage, Aidan, and Ralph appeared from literally, out of no where, looking at Cabe with hurt and saddened expressions. And Happy had marched over at sometime during the discussion. Followed by Toby, choking down on his burger.

"He's not going back to the orphanage Cabe" Happy demanded, along with her famous death glare.

"Well, what do you want me to do? Do you want to take him too?" Cabe asks.

"No. We can't, we barely have enough room for Sage around. Walter and Paige can take him". She points to Walter and Paige sitting next to each other.

"No. We can't take him. We're just about to move, in the next couple days. We have too much going on" Paige says, with a frantic shake of her head.

"I can't take him. I already have Colby. And I'm going to check up on him tonight" Cabe argues.

They bicker like that, back and forth.

The kids and Sylvester are watching with anxious eyes as they try to come to a conclusion.

"Well. Since we can't figure out a solution. He's going back to the orphanage" Cabe says.

Walter's about to argue, about him being a potential asset to the team. And Happy's about to argue about how he should never have to go back to an orphanage after all that he's been through

But Sage beats them both to it.

She stomps to the table, with the deadliest glare she's made since they met her.

"If he goes back to that orphanage. Than so am I! I was separated from him once, and I won't be separated from him again if I have anything to say about it" she yells at the table of geniuses.

She storms off, grabbing Ralph's and Aidan's arms in the process. Dragging them behind her.

But before she gets too far, she hears Sylvester say something. "I can take him".

 **What'd you guys think. This one was a toughy, but I did it, thankfully.**

 **I still need some help on the baby stuff. Boy or girl? Personalities? You know, the basic stuff. I already have names picked out for both genders, that I'm positive you guys will like. I'm open to anything though.**

 **Thanks for reading, and thankyou for your support. Special thanks to Anonwrite and Katymint, you've helped me through this. I'm honestly surprised I'm still going at this. But I'm determined to finish, and you guys have helped me so much. Thankyou**


	30. Jenga!

Chapter 30

Sylvester and Aidan were about to leave a little after Cabe left to go to the hospital to visit Colby. The doctors are claiming that he'll wake up any day now, but there is also an equal chance of him having another seizure while he's still in the coma. So Cabe visits as often as he can, which pretty much means every night.

Sylvester squirts hand sanitizer in Aidan hand, and instructs him to rub it into his hands. Aidan just giggles and waves his hands around, letting the smelly gel fling off his hands and across Sylvester's desk, and all over the floor around them.

"No Aidan, it's like this" Sylvester demonstrates by rubbing his own two hands together in a circular motion.

Aidan nods, and does the same with his hands, while still watching Sylvester's hands.

"Yes, just like that"

Sage walks up to Sylvester, carrying a jar carefully in her hands. Then hands it over to Sylvester.

"This is temporary medicine. If he gets too wild, just mix it into some water or juice and tell him to drink it. He'll listen"

Sylvester nods, and takes the jar. Then picks up the bag Cabe had droped off for Aidan. He didn't have any things he would need for the next few days, so Cabe pulled some strings, and got a large bag of clothes, and other essentials.

On there way out the door, Sylvester is stopped by Toby. He places a hand on his shoulder. "Listen. If he's too much trouble for you, call me. He's not like Ralph, he's a little…different"

Sylvester squares his shoulders, "I know. I'll be fine"

Toby tries to smile, and gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before letting him leave the garage.

Once the garage door closes behind him, Toby turns to face Paige's desk, and looks at her as he passes it, and walks into the kitchen. "Keep your phone on, tonight is going to be very eventful."

With Sylvester and Aidan…

Sylvester grabs Aidan's hand, while they cross the street to the bus stop not too far from the garage. Aidan skips along beside him, swinging both their arms beside them.

They sit down on the bench, and wait. Sylvester clutches his bag with one hand, and Aidan with the other. Aidan hummed, and talked to himself for a bit, impersonating different people having conversations. At one point Sylvester noticed him repeating Happy and Toby's conversation from earlier. Happy was yelling at him, but nobody knew why, and Toby was trying desperately to calm her down. It was pretty entertaining, but they couldn't laugh, or smirk, or else Happy would go off at them, and it just didn't seem worth it. Lately she had seemed more irritable and emotional over everything, but nobody dared questioning it.

Eventually the bus came, and the two of them climb on.

"Looks like you got some company today, huh?" the bus driver says, looking down at a smiling Aidan as Sylvester pays for the ride. "Yes, this is Aidan, he's gonna be staying with me a few days" Sylvester answers, smiling at the driver.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Aidan" she says. And they find a seat towards the back of the bus.

Later that night…

Sylvester was laying in his bed, flat on his back, and almost asleep.

He had made up the bed in his spare bedroom for Aidan to use, and he had successfully put him down for the night. With brushed teeth, a bath, his medicine, and pajamas. So far everything was going okay.

Then he heard groaning from the other room, and a few blood curdling screams that only lasted a second, and then were muffled by a pillow.

He got out of bed, wearing his favorite Super Fun Guy pajamas, and cracked open the door to Aidan's room. Aidan was tossing and turning, getting twisted up in the damp sheets, from his sweating. A long, high-pitched whine came from the back of his throat as he screamed again.

Sylvester clutched his chest, and turned away from the opening of the door, and leaned against the wall to steady himself as he tried to calm his racing heart.

He pulled out his phone, and dialed Toby's number, fumbling with it a little before holding it up to his ear, and listening to it dial.

With Toby and Happy…

Sage was in bed and asleep in her room, and Toby and Happy were in their own. The TV was on, and they were both in a really good mood.

"So when's your next doctors visit" Toby asked, wrapping his arm around her stomach and waist to pull her closer to him, as he kissed her neck.

Happy closed her eyes, and ran her hand through Toby's already messy hair, "Mmmm, I don't know"

Toby lifted his mouth from her neck for just a second, and gripped her hip a bit more tightly. "Yes you do"

Happy moaned again, "well, I'm kinda of distracted right now…and I can't really think a about that while your doing this to me". She got ahold of the hair on the back of his neck, and pulled him away from her neck. Guiding his own mouth to hers.

Toby pressed her into the bed, being cautious of her stomach. Happy wrapped one leg over and around his waist. She could hear a growl rumble through Toby's mouth, and there were not words for how attractive that made him. It was probably just the hormones, but she couldn't help hersellf.

She pulled at the hem of his shirt, and guided her hands up his chest-

Then Toby's stupid phone rang. Blaring the chicken dance through the whole room.

Happy through her head back into the pillow and groaned in annoyance, and Toby dropped his head and sighed.

He rolled off her, "boy is that a mood killer".

He looked at the name displayed on the phone, and sighed again. It was Sly.

"What's up Sly" Toby answered.

"Toby! You were right, I can't do this, I don't know what to do, I-" Toby interrupted him, and spoke in a calming voice.

"Buddy, you have to listen to me. Now I need you to take in deep breathes," he could hear as Sylvester took a deep breath in, and let out a long sigh, over and over, until he calmed, "that's it, good job. Now tell the doctor what's wrong"

Sylvester took another few breaths, and Toby could hear Aidan's screams in the background.

He covered the phone with his hand, and looked over at Happy.

"Aidan is having a nightmare, just like Sage had for the first couple weeks. I totally forgot about those. I don't know if Sylvester cant deal with all of that"

Happy put down the magazine she had just picked up, and looked over at him. "On no, that's not good. Sly's just gonna have a panic attack along with him"

Toby was about to say something else, but he could hear Sylvesters voice through the phone start up again. He presses it back to his ear.

"Its Aidan. He's having a nightmare, I don't know what to do" when he finishes, a shriek of terror fills the room, and travels through the phone, and into Toby's now very sensitive ear. He has to hold the phone away from his ear, to avoid loosing his hearing,

When the screaming stops, Toby puts the phone back to his ear, and instructs Sylvester on what to do.

It takes a while, but Sylvester is able to wake Aidan up, and calm him down by reading to him out of his comic books. Toby hangs up when he realizes that Sylvester has things under control. At least for the moment.

He places the phone back on the bedside table, and falls back against the pillow, and rubs his face with both hands.

Happy rolls over, and lays her chin on his chest, and wraps her arms around his middle.

Toby mindlessly knits his hands into her hair.

"You know that once the baby's here, there's going to be lot of that" Happy says with a smile.

Toby grins. "I know, and I'll still love them more than they can imagine." He kisses the top of her head, and she lays her head down, right over his heart, and smiles too.

"Ditto"

The next few days go by like this. Everyone meets at the garage, they work or play, then head home. Sylvester either calls Paige or Toby multiple times during the night About Aidan, and then repeat it the next day.

A few days later...

The whole team was relaxing in the garage, after a very stressful few days, of dealing with Sylvester's distressed calls in the middle of the night about Aidan's nightmares.

It had been mostly Toby and Paige that received this end of the blow, but Walter and Happy were also usually woken up, or *ahem* interrupted, because of Sylvester's constant phone calls.

Cabe seemed to be the only one not affected by Sylvester. The only reason he was tired and moping around, was because he stayed over at the hospital on most nights to stay with Colby.

Other than that though, the team has been getting along a lot better than they were. Everyone was happy, to a certain extent. And we're enjoying themselves.

Toby had his feet kicked up on his desk, reading a book, while humming a song that had been playing on the radio on their way to work.

Happy was tinkering, with quiet tools. There was no banging, and drilling. Just the occasional metal against metal clicks in the background.

Paige was filing paperwork. Again.

Walter was on his computer doing who knows what.

Ralph and Sage were in an intense battle of Jenga. The tower was taller, and more unstable than ever before.

Cabe was leaning against the counter, while drinking his sacred coffee.

And Sylvester was reading his comics, flipping a page or two, then giggling to himself, like a happy schoolgirl.

Nobody seemed to notice that Aidan had completely disappeared at some point during the day. Until Ralph spoke up.

"Hey, where'd Aidan go?" He looked around the garage, then his gaze, along with everyone else's settled on Sylvester.

He looked up at them, "he's taking a nap upstairs. He was up all night last night again. He had a nightmare and refused to go back to sleep. So I read him my comics, like you guys suggested, and he fell asleep at 2:13". He looked back down at the comic book in his hands.

Toby started doing a slow clap, and stood up. "Sylvester. I am so proud of you" he said, while the clapping speed, and sound increased, and moving towards his desk, beside his own.

Sylvester raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "For what?"

Toby looked flabbergasted. "What do you mean for what? You didn't even call me once last night. So that means you handled it all on your own. And I am proud" Toby placed a hand on Sylvester's shoulder, and the other dramatically over his chest, near his heart.

Paige stood up too, with a look of pride, as she moved to stand in front of Sylvester's desk along with Toby.

"Me too Sylvester. You are doing so good with Aidan. Sure the first couple nights were rough," everyone in the garage, nodded in affirmation, "but look at you now, taking care of him all by yourself." Paige gushed over him.

"But-but I babysit Ralph all the time, and I used to call you a bunch, but then I stopped after I got comfortable. How is this any different?"

Sage can see Ralph roll his eyes from across the table, and they both tried to keep from laughing.

"Listen. Ralph babysits you" Toby starts, "and this kid is different. He's more hyper than Ralph, and harder to handle. That's why we weren't that thrilled with the idea of you taking care of him". Toby finishes with another pat on the shoulder.

Sylvester looks offended, and is about to bite back, but is interrupted by Aidan's distressed cries from the loft.

He stands up, and points an accusing finger at Toby. "I'll be right back", and he marches up the stairs, with several huffs.

His anger only seems to encourage Toby further. Nobody can ever take Sylvester's threats seriously. Especially not Toby.

When he's gone, Toby wipes a fake tear from his eye, "he's growing up so fast"

Paige hits him playfully on the shoulder, while laughing.

"I actually can't believe he dealt with Aidan all by himself" Toby says falling back onto the couch, making a loud thump as he landed.

His landing vibrated the table, that Ralph and Sage were playing on, making the super tall Jenga tower to tumble down.

Sage and Ralph mouths drop, as they watched the pieces scatter across the table.

Toby looks scared for a moment, looking back and forth between the he two, but mostly keeping an eye on Sage.

The whole room stops to watch. Even Cabe freezes mid sip, and raises an eyebrow.

He can actually hear Walter say, "ooh someone's in trouble", mockingly, from his desk.

Ever so agonizingly slowly Sage looks up from the mess of pieces, and at Toby.

She appears angry for the first few seconds, then Her face drops into a sad frown. And she throws her head back. "Ugh".

"Daaaad, we've been working on that for two whole hours. Now we got to start all over" she whines, face planting into the couch next to Toby, laying across his lap with her face in the cushions. Causing the last part of her sentence to get muffled up.

"Sorry Bug" he says, rubbing her back.

He winces, when he hears her groan in the couch, and Ralph let's his head fall against the table repeatedly.

She lifts her head. "And it was a tie too. That was supposed to determine the winner".

Toby laughs sheepishly, while awkwardly patting her back.

Happy bursts out laughing from her station. She had to lay down the tool she was holding, so she wouldn't drop it from laughing so hard.

When she stopped she looked up, and saw Sage's miserable face looking at her.

She clears her throat. "Sorry, that was mean". She snickers a bit more, pursing her lips, trying to keep them in a straight line.

Sylvester climbs down the stairs, and nudges Sage over just a bit so he could sit on the couch too.

"Ralph, Sage, come on. We are going to build a new, giant, Jenga game," Happy calls to them, peeling off her gloves and walking to the back of the garage. "Cause I've got nothing else to do with my life at the moment".

Sage and Ralph jump up from their spots, and rush to catch up with Happy.

When the kids and Happy disappear around the corner, Walter stands abruptly from his chair.

"Woah, what's up O'brien" Toby says, with a raised eyebrow.

"I-I just realized something," he stutters, "Sage. She's a different type of genius, she's like a normal. I'll be right back" he gathers a few papers, before running up the stairs with his laptop. Taking the steps two at a time.

Toby stands up from his seat on the couch. Calling after him.

"O'brien! You are not doing experiments on my daughter!"

Paige slides over to him, and places a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back onto the couch, before he can chase after Walter. "I'll deal with him"

She climbs up the stairs, a little less enthusiastic than Walter was.

Toby sighs, and massages his head.

Sylvester looks at the Jenga pieces scattered across the table. "You knocked down the tower didn't you?"

Toby looked over at him. "Yep"

He stood up. "Come on. Let's go see how those three are making a new Jenga tower" Toby says, waving his hand, for Sylvester to follow.

Cabe stands in the kitchen awkwardly, looking into the now empty room.

He sighs, and sets down his mug upside down on a paper towel. Then checks his watch, before heading out the garage, and to his car.

With Walter and Paige...

Walter was trying to be as quiet as he could as he plugged in his computer to who knows what, and powers it on.

He definitely did not want to wake up Aidan. That would mean that he would have to put him back to sleep, based on common courtesy.

A few moments later, Paige joins him upstairs.

"Walter, you shouldn't be doing experiments on children. You know that right?" She walks behind him, and places her hands on his arms, and massaging his shoulders while looking over his shoulder at the computer screen.

"I'm not. I'm creating an IQ test, to determine what Sage, Aidan, and Ralph's intelligence levels are. While also determining what they're proficient at."

"Oh. Okay. But you have to ask, Sylvester, and Toby before giving them the test." She says.

"Why. They trust me not to put their children in harms way. And a simple IQ test won't do anything to them" Walter looks absolutely confused and surprised by her statement.

She sighs. "I know. But it's one of those things that don't make much sense, but you still have to do"

Walter raises an eyebrow. "That's illog-"

"Yes, I know it's illogical, but you still have to do it. Especially when it comes to children" Paige says, kissing him on the cheek and squeezing his shoulder.

Walter sighs. "I just don't get it. If Sage responds to this test the way I expect she will, I could study her brain, and behavior, and then apply that to our day to day life to make us more normal".

"Walter," she chastises, "I just said that you can't preform any experiments on Sage, or Aidan, or Ralph. And I mean it! You can do the IQ test, but that's it. Okay?" She asks.

Walter grumbles an 'okay' then started typing on his computer again.

With the rest of 'em...

Happy was piling loads of metal like sheets into Sage's and Ralph's arms.

"Happy! What are you doing. You can't make a Jenga game out of metal. That's dangerous" Toby freaks.

"Relax dummy," she throws a large piece of metal at his face.

He screams, and throws his arms in front of his face, to block the oncoming piece of metal.

It hits him, and bounces right off. Falling to the floor like a piece of cardboard.

He lowers his arms, and Happy smirks.

"It's a type of metal I developed. Strong as iron, yet light and harmless as cardboard."

"Oh". Toby bends down to pick up the piece of metal.

And Happy dumps a pile of it in his arms, almost making him tumble backwards from the surprise weight being layed in his arms.

"Come on. Carry it all to my desk. And I'll start making them into long pieces."

Happy carries a load of it herself to her desk, while Sage and Ralph follow.

Sylvester has to help guide Toby, because the stack, piles way over his head, and he can't see where he's going.

He dumps it down in the pile the rest is in, around the time Paige makes her way down the stairs.

She has almost the same reaction as Toby did. "Happy," she chastised, "you can't possibly be making Jenga pieces out of metal. When it falls it can hurt someone".

Paige rushes over to her desk.

Happy snorted, and did the same as she did to Toby. She threw a piece at her, and explained what it really was.

Toby and the kids laughed, while Happy smirked, and Paige held her mouth open like she was about to speak.

Toby grabbed her by her elbow, and pulled her away from the desk, still chuckling a bit to himself.

"So, what's going on with Walter?" He asked, when they were far enough away from the group.

Paige sighed, and dropped her head.

"He said that he was going to make an IQ test, to test what Ralph, Sage and Aidan preform best in"

Toby nods his head, and waves his hand in a circular motion in front of him. "And..."

"And he said that if Sage responds to the test as he thought she would, he was going to study her." Paige could tell that Toby was about to march up the stairs and tell Walter off.

But she places both hands on his chest to stop him. "But I told him that he can't preform experiments on any of the kids, and he can't give them the test without asking you or Sylvester first"

She can feel Toby relax, and she lowers her arms that were blocking his path.

"Thanks Paige," he rubs at his forehead, "I just don't know what he means by Sage being a different type of genius"

"He seemed kind of out of it while I was up there. Your not the only one that is probably confused" Paige says, with a nod of understanding.

"I just won't ask about it. Right now I have too much going on up here" he jabs a finger to the side of his head multiple times, before giving a small smile and turning on his heel to help the others with there new Jenga game.

They work on that the rest of the day. At least Ralph, Sage and Happy do.

Paige makes Toby clean up the garage with her. And Sylvester had to take care of Aidan, before he went to play with the others.

4 hours later...

Toby looks at his watch.

"Okay, 7 'o clock' let's go" he yells, grabbing his bag and hat.

Sage pouts and gives him the puppy dog eyes she had somehow mastered in the past month.

"Please, can we finish this piece. We're almost done with the last piece to our game" Sage whines, tugging on his shirt, and wrapping g her arms around his middle. Resting her chin on his chest to look up at him, and jutting her bottom lip out.

"My god your cute," Toby says under his breath.

"Fine. But I'm not staying here any longer then I have to. I'm exhausted"

Toby lands back on the couch, with everything in his lap that he needs.

Sage gives a triumphant smile, and Happy smirks, while flattening the last piece of metal they needed for the game.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger Doc" she says.

Toby groans, and runs a hand down his face. "Don't I know it"

Aidan and Sylvester left not long after that, with few to no complaints from Aidan, as he grabbed Sylvester's hand, and skipped out the garage. Almost giving Sylvester a heart attack from the contact, and earning a soft 'aw' from Paige.

They finish the last piece, and Happy stretches her back. "Okay. Tomorrow we can play the game, and determine the real winner"

She throws the piece into the humongous pile in the back of the garage.

Toby jumps up from the couch, and waits impatiently for Sage and Happy to grab their things and go.

At the apartment...

"Ooh, a bed" Toby groans, dropping his bag on the ground, and falling onto the bed, face first. Followed by Happy and Sage on either side of him.

"Your right.. This does feel good" Happy says with a smile, stretching her body across the large bed.

She snuggles up next to Toby, and rests her head on his chest.

Sage spreads out across the bed, and doesn't appear to be the least bit tired.

After a few minutes of just laying on the bed, Happy groans and pushes herself up off the bed.

"One of us needs to get in the shower. And that's going to be me, so I can go to bed" she says with a yawn.

"No fair" Toby pouts, attempting the same look Sage gave earlier.

Happy laughs. "Sorry, I think your daughter has you beat," and closes the door to the bathroom.

Toby groans, and rolls over so he's shoulder to shoulder with Sage.

She's looking up at the blank ceiling, seeming to be transfixed on something up there.

"What are we looking at?" Toby whispers, folding his hands and laying them on his stomach, while looking up at the ceiling as well.

Sage hums in response, before answering. "The blank ceiling is a perfect screen to watch movies, draw, and do math." She whispers, as she continued to stare at the ceiling.

Toby nods, and stares a while longer at the ceiling.

"Sage, I want you to tell me the truth," Toby says sternly.

"Mhm" Sage hums.

"Do you still have nightmares" he asks, barely above a whisper, like he was afraid of her answer.

"Well yeah. I've got PTSD, like any other normal person would have," she breaks her gaze to look over at him, "your a doctor, you should know that"

Toby brings a hand up to his face to rub it, for what seems like the twentieth time that day. "I know, but I just don't like the idea of you having to deal with stuff like that."

Sage nods her head. "I have nightmares every night, and now I can remember every second of it. I just didn't want to come off as needy" she says, turning to look back up at the ceiling.

Toby would've choked if something was in his mouth. "What!? No, it's my job to take care of you, and make sure you're okay. I may be new to this parenting stuff, but I do know the basics" Toby huffs.

Sage just shakes her head. "No, your job is at Scorpion. And you can't save people's lives if your worrying about me all the time. And besides, I'm used to taking care of myself" Sage shrugs.

Toby had enough, and jumps off the bed, and pulls Sage with him by the elbow. "Living room! Now!" He yells. Before storming to the bathroom door, and throwing it open. Catching a half naked Happy by surprise. "Living room. Family meeting!" He yells, closing the door again. "Now!"

A couple minutes later...

Happy and Sage are sitting awkwardly on the couch, watching Toby pace back and forth in front of the coffee table.

"Listen up," he stops his pacing and looks at both of them.

"I love the heck out of both of you. But we need to get one thing straight," he threatens, "Happy's been getting better, but Sage. We need to work on some things."

"We are a family now," Happy and Sage look at each other, " and that means we help each other and support each other. And I know it sounds cheesy. But I'm sick and tired of the both of you claiming you're fine, when you know you're not."

"And at first I was fine with it, and just wanted to give you space, but it seems like this has become a habit. A very unhealthy one. So starting tomorrow...Sage, you will choose between having sessions with another psychiatrist, or me. Your choice, but we are going to do it, with no whining, or violence." He looks her straight in the eye, and raises and eyebrow.

She grumbles, and crosses her arms over her chest, while sinking into the back of the couch.

"And Happy, I commend you for being more open about your feelings, amongst other things, but the both of us need to make more of an effort to make sure this one," he points to Sage, "stays out of trouble, and is feeling okay".

Happy nods, "may I ask what this is all a bout?"

Toby shakes his head. "Later. Any more questions"

Happy raises her hand. "One question. Is this going got be a regular thing? Because if it is, I would like advanced notice, so I can be fully dressed for the next meeting" she says, gesturing to the towel draped across her lap.

Sage laughs, and Toby tries his best to hide his smile.

"Class dismissed" Toby jokes.

"Finally" Happy says, standing up and wrapping the towel around her waist.

Sage laughs, and stands up too. Heading into her room, and closing the door.

Toby sighed. "Do you think she's mad at me". He looks like a hurt puppy while looking at Sage's closed door.

"Depends. Tell me what happened, and I'll tell you" Happy patted his chest as she walked by. Waddling to their room.

Toby follows, with his head down.

Toby's sitting on the closed toilet seat, while Happy's taking a shower. Explaining exactly what happened, word for word.

Toby groans. "So what do you think?" He asked, turning his head to the closed shower curtain.

"You did over react a little bit. And she should have told us, but she was right. If we were focused on her and all her problems, we would never get anything done" Happy says, speaking over the sound the shower was making.

"You don't know that," Toby defends, "we could've still focused on work, but we'd just be a little more concerned".

Happy turns off the water, and grabs the towel from the rack when she stepped out. "Toby. You need to apologize, and explain why you reacted the way you did. And I know your worried, and I'm worried too, but these types of things take time to get over."

Happy wraps the towel around her, and starts drying. "Her whole life, she's had to take care of herself, and she's just starting to get used to having people care about her. You just need to give her time and space, just like you did for me"

"Only difference is, I'm not trying to make my daughter fall in love with me. I'm trying to get her to open up" Toby said.

Happy gives him a pointed looks, pretty much saying 'duh' without moving her mouth.

"Oh" Toby drawls out. "How are you two exactly the same" Toby realizes with wide eyes.

Happy chuckles, while she fixes her hair in a wet messy ponytail.

Toby jumps up from his seat, and kisses her on the cheek, before running out the bathroom.

Happy smiles, and shakes her head. "Idiot"

With Sage...

Sage was in her room, drawing in her notebook. She was trying something a little different. Instead of designs and shapes, she was trying to draw people, which is way more difficult than she anticipated.

She was going to draw realistic version of the team, but that wasn't working too well. So she decided to try cartooning them instead. and it looked pretty good.

She was going to give it to Cabe, as a thank you for everything he's done.

She was in the middle of drawing her and Toby, when she heard a knock on her door.

She closed the book, and pen. "Come in"

Toby peeked his head into the room, before stepping in completely.

"I just wanted to apologize for overreacting earlier. I'm getting used to this stuff, just like you. And I know that you're still getting accustomed to things, but I still want to fix these nightmares your having." He said, leaning his back against the wall near the door.

"I'll do it if...Aidan does it too. He needs it more than I do" Sage says, with a raised eyebrow, and arms crossed against her chest.

"Oh god. You have no idea how much like Happy you are" Toby breathes, rubbing his neck.

Sage gives a half smile. "But okay. We'll work with Aidan too. Do you want me or another psychiatrist?" He asks.

"Well duh I want you. I'm not telling some stranger from a park bench all my life problems. And having them pity me like I'm a dog that didn't get his treat after going potty outside"

Toby laughs. "That makes no sense. But okay"

Before he's all the way out the door, he says one more thing. "New episode tonight in," he looks at his watch, "one hour. Do you want to watch?"

"Well, yeah! I'll see you in an hour, I need to finish this drawing" she says, waving him away.

"Okay"

Half hour later...

Toby and Happy are both reading on their bed. Toby's reading his latest book on the brain, and Happy's looking at a car magazine. Switching back and forth between that and her tablet.

Eventually she throws her head back and groans. Toby glances over at her.

She's rubbing her face in frustration. "How are we going to afford this?" She whispered. But unfortunately Toby heard her.

He puts closes his book, and places it on the other side of him. He scoots closer, and wraps an arm around her shoulder. Pulling her into his side.

"What are you talking about?" He asks. Rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.

"Everything. We can't afford all of this" Happy sighs. "I don't know how were going to do this".

"Woah, okay. Slow down. What are you talking about. We're perfectly fine, money wise. It's probably just those hormones talking" Toby says, using his other hand, to lay across her stomach.

"No, Toby. You don't get it. We have to buy a bigger apartment. We have to buy a safer and more reliable car. And do you know how much having a baby costs. All the clothes, toys, and furniture. Not to mention that Sage is going back to school soon. And we can't afford all that right now."

Toby sighs. And takes away the tablet and magazine. Setting them by his book.

"Let's talk about this before we start to stress," he says, pulling out a pad of paper and pen from his nightstand. "How much do you think this will all cost"

"The baby stuff will cost about 50,000 for the first two years. For a good apartment, we'd have to pay more than three times what we're paying now. Or we could buy a condo to avoid the monthly payments, which is way more money than what we have now. That's only if we are looking for something satisfactory, not something that we will want to be living in for the next 10 years. Plus all the furniture we will have to buy. And a nice car, on average is 30,000 dollars. Plus Sage goi-" Toby cuts her off before she can get any further.

"Ok, calm down," he sets down the pen and paper, "first things first. Let's decide where were going to move. House? Condo? Or an apartment?"

There's a knock on the door.

"Come on in Sage" Toby yells, tearing out the previous page on the pad, so Sage doesn't see.

She opens the door, closes it behind her, and climbs on the bed.

"Whatcha guys talking about" she asks, stealing Toby's pillow, an laying her head on it.

"Well, we want to know what you think about moving somewhere a bit bigger than this crappy apartment" Happy says, with a smirk.

"Hey! I picked out this place myself. It is not crappy, just a bit rundown" Toby grumbles. "We just want to move someplace bigger, to invite your friends over, or give you more space to play around and stuff."

"Oh. Cool. Where are we moving" Sage asks, propping her head up with her hands.

"That's what you need to help us decide." Happy says. Reaching across the both of them to grab her tablet.

"I've been looking at them for the past few days. And I've found a few pretty cool ones" she moves it so everyone can see.

"You've been looking at apartments without me" Toby asks.

"Yes. But I was just picking out a few I thought we all would like, and then I was going to see what you thought" Happy says, swiping to her first choice.

Toby shrugs his shoulders.

They go through a few different choices, then find one that they all agree on.

"Okay, this ones a condo, and has two levels to it. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. That way Sage will have her own. And I believe there is a pool on the ground floor" Happy says.

"Ooh. That one!" Toby says, excitedly, after hearing about the pool.

"We can have the whole team over, and go swimming in th- GIGANTIC POOL!" Toby and Sage's eyes bug out of their sockets at how big it is.

"Whoah. That's like bigger than the pool at the Olympics" Sage says, mesmerized by the picture on the screen.

Happy laughs at their reactions. "I knew you would like that one. The only problem is it's like crazy expensive."

"Yeah, but worth it. Look at that kitchen. It's almost as big as the master bedroom. Not to mention the living room. And the pool. Then the lobby downstairs, has a bunch of cool stuff" Toby says, swiping through a few more pictures.

"But Toby. We don't have enough money for this, and the car, and the ba-" Toby interrupts her. "Yes and Sage going back to school. I know."

Toby raises his eyebrow, and gives her a pointed look. While Sage looks through the pictures.

"But I may have a solution to that" he grabs his phone from his nightstand, and walks out the room with his phone to his ear.

"Hey, Veronica. How're you doing?" He walks out, and the rest of the conversation is muffled by the wall and door.

Happy sighs, and looks at the screen, that Sage has taken into her own hands.

"You know. I don't have to have a lot to go to school. I've been providing all that myself for the past five years" she says. Giving the tablet back to Happy.

"No. We want to be sure you have everything you need. Just like a normal child" Happy says, looking over the fancy apartment again.

"I'll never be normal. But I don't care." Sage smiles.

Happy laughs, and pulls out the car magazine. "What do you think about this for your dad's new car" Happy smiles.

Sage laughs. "Yeah right. You'd be the one driving that thing everywhere. You wouldn't let him touch it"

Happy purses her lips, trying not to smile, and nods her head. "Your probably right".

Toby opens the door, and walks in again. With his phone still to his ear.

"Okay, thanks Veronica. Get it ready for me tomorrow. Bye" he hangs up the phone.

"Okay all things fixed. That's gonna be ours." He points to the tablet sitting beside Happy.

Happy glares at him. "What did you do. Idiot."

Toby gives her a triumphant grin. "I just solved out financial problems".

"A few years ago, I had my own little business going. And I never sold my office. So I called up my old assistant, and told her to start picking up some clients, I'm heading in tomorrow to help her out"

"When exactly did you have this little business" Happy asks.

"Remember for like the first two years after I joined Scorpion. I would disappear a couple hours during the day."

Happy nodded her head.

"Well that's where I was going" Toby says, putting his phone back on the nightstand.

"Ooh. Cool. How many clients did you have" Sage asks.

"For a while I didn't have that many, because I didn't need them. It wasn't that great of a time for me. So I didn't make a lot of money. But now, I'm doing better, and I think I can pick things up."

"Yes. But how are you going to get your clients back. It's been almost 5 years" Happy says.

Toby raises an eyebrow. "Happy. I am one of the best shrinks in the country. And I have several buddies that owe me favors. I think I can handle getting a few clients"

Happy raises her hands up in defense. "Okay, okay. But you'll never get Walter to agree to this." Happy says, grabbing the remote at the foot of the bed.

"Trust me. I think I can manipulate Walter enough to let me get off of work a few hours during the day"

Happy switched the TV on, and everyone gets comfortable on the bed, while Happy looks for the right channel.

"Do you think I can go with you to your office" Sage asks, looking up at Toby.

"Why. I'm not going to be doing anything fun" Toby asks.

"I know. I just want to see it, and meet all your friends. And you can do my session with Aidan there too" Sage says.

Toby sighs, and pulls out his phone. "Okay, but you might not meet any of my friends. I have to contact them first"

He pulls out his phone, and his fingers dance across the screen, in such precision and accuracy, you can tell he's done it a million times before.

Happy rests the remote back on the end of the bed, when she reached the channel she was looking for, and Sage watches with her, while Toby texts up his old buddies.

Eventually the show ends, and it's about time for Sage to head to bed. "Come on. I'll put you to bed. Let's let your dad finish up his thing" Happy says, climbing off the bed.

Sage nods and Toby pulls her towards him, and kisses her forehead, without looking away from his screen. "Night, Bug"

"Night, Dad" Sage says, climbing out of the bed, and following Happy to her room.

Happy helps Sage in bed, and says goodnight, but is stopped at the door. "Happy? Why does Daddy call me bug."

Happy freezes at the door, and turns around awkwardly when she asks her question.

"That's something you need to asks your dad. If he really wants you to know, he'll tell you" she says.

Turning off the light. "Okay. Thanks Happy. Goodnight"

"Night Bug" Happy jokes, and Sage smiles.

:)


	31. Joe

Chapter 31

The next day at the garage, things are a little less hectic.

Happy's still a little stressed out about the money thing, but hiding it quite well in front of the team.

Walter is being held against his will by Sage and Ralph. Or so he says. Playing their new giant Jenga game. He claims he doesn't want to play, but everyone knows he loves it.

Especially judging by the way he's smiling and laughing while the tower tumbles down on top of them, and they have to rebuild it. He seemed like a happy little kid, content with playing giant Jenga with his friends.

Cabe just got back from the hospital, checking up on Colby.

Toby is packing up his satchel, getting ready to head out to his office soon. He had made a lot more calls and appointments this morning while he was at the garage. And he hasn't cleared it over with Walter yet. He was planning on a last minute kind of thing.

And Sylvester is preparing Aidan to head out with Toby and Sage in a little while.

"You have your first aid kit?" Aidan nods. "Your hand sanitizer?" He nods again. "And you have your medicine?" He nods his head vigorously up and down. With a grin.

"Okay. Good. Now remember, do not touch anything dirty, or dangerous. And listen to Toby and Sage." Sylvester instructs, fixing the collar on Aidan's black flannel he had got from Sage, "and if there are any dogs, or other animals, don't touch them. But if you do. Wash your hands for at least two minutes". Aidan continuously nods, almost like he's a bobble head.

Toby threw his bag across his shoulder, and rolled his eyes at Sylvester's antics.

"He'll be fine Sly. I'm a responsible adult" Toby says.

Sylvester gives him a look. "Sage is more responsible than you"

Toby fakes a hurt expression. "Ouch. That hit me right here" he places his hand dramatically, over his heart.

Sylvester rolled his eyes, and turned back to his computer.

Aidan spins, and jumps on the balls of his feet. His backpack bouncing along with him.

"Ready to go kid?" Toby asks, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He nods again, and holds onto the straps of his backpack while he spins in a circle. Throwing Toby's hand off his shoulder in the process.

Toby retracts his hand, and calls out for Sage, "Sage! Come on we're leaving!" He yells, pushing a bouncy Aidan along, and towards the door.

Walter turns from the giant game, while Sage runs behind Happy's desk, to retrieve her backpack.

"Where are you going?" He interrogates. Placing his hands in his pockets, and lowers his head just a bit as he walks towards Toby, in front of Happy's desk.

"To work. I've had to take up another job to get some more money. We're moving soon" he said, shooing Sage over to the door with Aidan.

"Why are you taking them with you" Walter nods his head to Aidan and Sage.

Toby sighs. "I'm giving them a few sessions, because of everything that's going on, lately. And to hopefully get rid of their nightmares"

"Oh" Walter nods his head, and bounces on the balls of his feet. Trying to come up with some good excuse as to why he can't go.

"Why can't you do it here"

Toby sighs, and shakes his head. "I have to go to my office, because I need to meet up with some people. And I don't think it would be very professional if they showed up at this dingy garage, while Sylvester reads comics, and kids play a loud and huge game of Jenga. Along with my egotistical boss staring them down the whole time."

Walter ignores his last comment "But what if we get a case".

Cabe snorts from the couch, and takes a sip from his coffee, and turns a page in his magazine.

Toby takes his phone out from his pocket, and waves it in Walter's face. "They invented phones for a reason Walt"

Walter still didn't seem to be giving in. So Sage sighed, and set her backpack down on the floor. She marched over to Walter and gave a very convincing sad face.

"I'm really really sorry Uncle Walt," she hugs him around his middle, and presses her face into his side, "I didn't want Daddy telling everyone about it. But I can't go on another day with being scared", she lifts her head up and the tears fall down her face.

"I dream about being abandoned and being on my own again, because you guys didn't love me enough. And I wake up wondering if it's true" she sobbed, her words are muffled by her pressing her face into his shirt.

Walter seems a bit taken aback by this. And everyone looks up from what they're doing and watches Sage's reaction.

"Just please. I really really need to do this" she grabs onto his shirt, and cries into it some more.

Walter pulls back just a little bit, holding her by her shoulder. "Okay, okay. Go ahead."

Sage's tears disappear, and she smiles, like nothing happened. "Thanks, Walt"

She skips back over to the door with a hidden smirk, and pulls on her backpack again, waiting for Toby.

He looks over at Toby, who's trying his best not to double over from his laughter.

Happy and Paige are laughing too. Sylvester was really surprised, but then he grinned. And Cabe just smirked. "You just got played good kid"

Ralph is covering his mouth with both hands to try and contain his giggles, but fails miserably.

Walter scowls, and marches up the stairs. Muttering things to himself that none of the children should be allowed to hear until they're adults.

"Okay let's go" Toby laughs, pushing the kids out the door, and to his car.

I'm the car...

"Where in the world did you learn to do that" Toby finally asks, after he gets all the laughing over with.

"No clue. I just see how Happy manipulates you, and how Ralph manipulates Walter, combine that with emotions to make Walter as uncomfortable as possible, and Wula!" Sage gestures throwing her arms in the air.

Toby smiles, and taps out the beat of the song playing on the radio, on the steering wheel.

"So am I going to meet some of your friends" Sage asks.

Toby nods and smirks. "Yes you are. And I might need you to use your charm on a few of them. Just like you did to Walt back there, just a little less tears this time" he jokes.

Sage smiles and nods. Looking in the rearview mirror at Aidan.

He was mumbling something to himself. Toby seemed to notice too. So he turned down the radio.

"What you mumbling back there bud?"

Aidan turns his head to look at him, with an innocent smile. "Just reading"

Toby raises an eyebrow. "In your head?"

He nods. "Daddy got this new book for me, about world history, and stuff, and I read it. Now I'm rereading it up here" he taps on his head, and looks out the window again.

Toby looks over at Sage in the passenger seat. "Did he just refer to Sylvester as 'daddy'" he asks.

Sage nods, and turns in her seat to look at him fully. "He doesn't know what dad means. Based on what he knows, it's just a male that provides him with food, and shelter. He doesn't realize what he's saying...I don't think" Sage says.

Toby nods. "I figured. But still, that's a pretty big step for the both of them"

Sage sighs, "I know."

When they get to the office things get pretty busy. Sage and Aidan are sitting in a couple chairs in the very small waiting room.

They can see the shadow of Toby pacing back and forth in the other room, through the tainted glass walls. And his muffled, and angered voice as he talks on the phone.

Sage looks around, while Aidan continues to mumble. The place was pretty messy and gloomy. So she decided to fix things up.

There was a desk with a old computer in the corner. Probably for his previous assistants, there's a bookshelf with hundreds of books on it. There are a few chairs, and tables with fake plants on them. Everything is beyond dusty, and really really disorganized.

Papers were strewn across desks, and the floor. The books on the bookshelf were disorganized, and falling off. And the room was dark, despite the fact that there were several windows in the room.

So first things first, she opened the blinds and curtains covering the Windows. Causing light to stream in, and illuminating the dust particles floating around the room.

She clears the desk, and picks up, and stacks the papers in large neat piles. She organized the books, placing them upright and alphabetized them. She also found a toilet paper roll in the super tiny bathroom, which she used to dust off the nasty surfaces as best she could.

It took a while, but everything looked as it should be, and she sat down again and stared at the clock. Measuring the angles the minute, second, and hour hand make. Which is extremely easy, and boring after a while. But there's nothing else to do but daydream, and she doesn't want to get too caught up in that, just in case Toby comes out.

Toby's voice gets louder as he approaches the door.

"Yeah? Well I'm sorry to 'buddy'!" He throws open the door and waves the two of them in the office. "You just lost a very good psychiatrist" he hangs up the phone and stuffs it in his pocket with a scowl, and a little more force than necessary.

He rubs his face with his hands in frustration, while Sage and Aidan file into the room. He looks up and sees the room. It looked amazing, but he doesn't say anything about it, and just smiles to himself.

He comes back in the office, and Sage is already picking things up. Collecting the loose papers, and putting them back on his desk.

He clears the couch, making room for the two of them to sit.

"Ok, let's get started"

The next hour consists of questions, answers, and many many tears.

Aidan more so than Sage. He hadn't had anyone to really talk to. Mostly because of his tendency to forget, and become oblivious to his surroundings.

Toby somehow works through the whole session with the two of them. And they both seem to be a bit more relaxed and carefree towards the end.

It ends when Toby gets a call from one of his old contacts from Harvard.

"Hey Joe. You on your way?" He asks.

He nods a couple times, before saying goodbye and hanging up.

"Ok. So you two are going to meet one of my really good friends, so I need you to be on your best behavior" he eyes the two of them.

Aidan doesn't hear him. He's walking in circles in the middle of the room, staring at the ground, and mumbling to himself again.

Sage laughs, and nods. Toby chuckles and sighs too.

A few minutes later they hear a car pull up, and a car door slam closed outside the building.

Sage runs over to the window, and looks out. She jumps on her toes, like an excited toddler waiting for the bus on their first day of school.

"Dad! He's here" she calls to Toby. He's sitting at his desk, with his feet kicked up, and chewing on the end of a pen while he flips through various papers.

He takes the pen out of his mouth, and marks a few things on the paper. "I don't know why your so excited to meet this guy" he says. Glancing up once to make sure Aidan wasn't getting into anything he shouldn't.

"I don't know either. I just want to make some more friends" she bounces over, and throws her arms around his neck.

He pats her arm. "I get it. But you'll be starting school soon, and you can see all you friends and make some more" he says, putting the pen back in his mouth.

"I don't want to go back to that school. Everyone's going to want to know why my name changed, and bug me about my fake parents, and fake life. I just want to start over" she says, laying her chin on his shoulder.

Toby sighs, and puts down the papers. "We do need to go get that stuff officialized at the court, don't we?" He says to himself. "Oh god! We've still got so much to do" he rubs his hands over his face from all the stress.

"It's okay. It's not that bad" Sage says, patting his hat, that sits on his head.

They hear the door to the office open, and Toby's old college buddy waltzes in, in a suit. Unlike Toby, who's wearing a t-shirt and jeans, with his jacket hanging on the back of his chair.

Toby stands up, with a big grin. "Hey buddy" he shakes his hand, and pulls him into a hug, and pats his back.

Joe was smiling too, as he kept a firm hold on Toby's shoulder. "It's been ages man"

"I know. It's really good to see you" Toby says, breaking out of the hug, and taking a couple steps back. Letting him come further into the office.

Joe looks behind Toby to see Sage, and Aidan walking in circles still.

"And who are these two." He asks.

Toby laughs, and places a hand on

Sage's shoulder, pulling her into his side. "This one here is mine," he turns around to point at Aidan, "and that one is my nephew. They're keeping me company today"

Joe shakes his head in disbelief. "Don't tell me THE Toby Curtis settled down and has a family"

Toby hangs his head in defeat, playfully. "Sadly, yes" he laughs

"Congrats man" he shakes his hand again, then turns to Sage.

"And what's your name, pretty lady?" He kneels down so he's at eye level with Sage.

She was smiling at first, but she frowned after he started talking to her. "Don't call me that" she folded her arms over he chest.

Toby laughed nervously, and patted her on the shoulder. "Sorry. She's a bit like her mother. Very, very feminist, and does not like to be put down. Isn't that right Bug?"

Joe looks worried. "So sorry. Where I come from, all the girls love to be called that" he says, with a smile.

Sage raises an eyebrow, then unfolds her arms, an sticks out her hand.

"I forgive you. And my name is Sage. It's really nice to meet you" she shakes Joe's hand.

"Firm hand shake you got there. You must be really strong"

That was the right thing to say, because Sage smiles really big, with a proud smirk.

Toby smirked too, and sat on the edge of his desk, the only place that was clear of papers and books.

"Sage, take Aidan out to the waiting room. Me and Joe gotta talk business" he winks.

Sage nods, and pulls Aidan by his elbow, out the door.

When Toby closes the door behind her, she places her ear on the door, to hear what they're saying.

"Toby, I don't know if I can do what you're asking me to do. You're the best psychiatrist in the world, but I can't just hand you random clients"

"I know you can't. And I also know that you've turned down a lot of people in need over the last few years. All you need to do, is call them up, and give them a small recommendation."

Aidan places his own head against the door, beside Sage. She smirks, and keeps listening.

Joe sighs. "What I don't get, is you disappearing at the peak of your career. Then all of a sudden, years later, wanting to start back up again. Where you left off"

"Joe. Listen. Sitting around and listening to other people complain about their lives is not my cup of tea-"

Joe interrupts him. "Then why are you doing it again"

This time Toby sighs. "Because. My girlfriend is loosing her mind. She's so worried about money all the time. We're moving soon, and we're getting a car, and a lot more stuff that I can't say out loud, because Sage is probably listening through the door. So I told her not to worry, and said that I'll start making some more money. Just for the next year or so."

Joe doesn't say anything for a moment, and Sage leans so close, that she's practically laying on it.

"Ok"

"Ok what?" Toby asks.

"I'll see what I can do. But you owe me something"

Toby just laughs. "No. This is you paying ME back after, letting you cheat on my tests, giving you a $500 loan, and setting you up with your girlfriend, or wife."

Sage could pretty much hear the smirk on his face as he talked.

Joe grumbled. "Fine. You win. As long as you promise to introduce me to your girlfriend soon. I want to be friends again, just like in the old days"

"Sure thing" Toby hugs him one more time. And Sage and Aidan run from the door, and sit in the seats once they hear the two sets of footsteps come closer to the door.

It opens, and both men step out of the room, with smiles on their faces.

Joe walks up to Sage and Aidan, who are sitting on the chairs in the waiting room.

"I'll see you guys later hopefully" he smiles, and sticks out a fist towards Aidan, for a fistbump.

But Aidan flinches, and throws up his arms to guard his face, out of instinct.

Joe retracted his hand quickly, looking over at Toby for an explanation.

Sage works on Aidan. "Hey buddy, it's okay, he wasn't going to hurt you. See. He was doing a fistbump."

She pulled down Aidan's arms, and formed a fist with one of his hands. And Sage forms a fist with her hands.

She held Aidan's wrist, and brought it to hers, making them bump against each other.

Aidan gasped in excitement, and bounced in his chair.

He jumped out of his seat, and ran up to Joe and Toby, holding out his fist.

Toby laughs and forms his own fist to hit against Aidan's. He squeaks and jumps in excitmement, then turns his fist to Joe. Who nervously responds with his own fist.

Aidan runs back over to Sage and makes her do it over an over again.

"Is...he...being abused?" Joe asks Toby in a whisper.

Toby shakes his head, and puts his hands in his pockets while he is entertained by Aidan and Sage.

"He used to be...in foster homes. Then a friend of mine just got him, and he's been with us since"

Joe nods, and walks back towards the door.

He gives Aidan one last fistbump and a high five to Sage.

Aidan seems mesmerized by his fist for a few minutes. Just sitting in the chair, staring at it.

Since he seemed occupied for the moment, Sage jumped out of her own chair, and walked up to Toby.

"I like that guy. Are we gonna see him again" she asks.

Toby rubs his neck.

"I don't know. Maybe... But I'm going to call Cabe, and tell him to come pick you two up. I'm going to be here awhile, and there's nothing for you guys to do here. So Cabe will bring you back to the garage." He combs her hair out of her face, and puts his phone up to his ear after dialing.

13 minutes later...

Cabe is getting Aidan ready. Gathering his backpack, and focusing him on leaving, instead of running in circles.

Toby is making sure Sage is ready to go. "Happy will take you home tonight. I might not be home before you go to bed, so don't wait up on me. K" he kisses her forehead.

Sage nods, and gives him a hug. "You're gonna be here a long time. It's only 3 o clock"

Toby laughs. "Yes, well, today I'm a lot more busy, since I'm setting everything up."

"I guess that's true. I'll see you later" she waves bye to him, and runs out the door, followed by Aidan.

Cabe sighs, and nods at Toby. "Good luck doc," before following them out the door, and closing it behind him.

Toby falls against his chair, and let's out an exhausted sigh. While watching out the window behind his desk.

He sees Sage and Aidan racing to the big SUV, and waiting impatiently for Cabe to unlock it.

Sage sees him looking out the window, and she smiles really big, and waves at him.

He waves back, and then Cabe rounds the corner, and unlocks the door, letting Sage and Aidan climb in.

Toby pulls out his phone, and spins back to face his desk.

'They're on their way. I'm going to be home late tonight, don't wait on me, get some sleep' he texts Happy.

She texts back almost instantly. 'K. Me and Sage will order some pizza, ill leave some on the counter for when you get home. But I swear you'll get injured if this becomes a regular thing doc'

Toby laughs to himself. 'Sure thing sweetie. Thank you. And by the way, it's 'Sage and I''

'Shut up'

'Love u too ;)'

That night...

Happy got out of the car, followed by a very slow and tired Sage.

She, Ralph, and Sylvester played giant Jenga for 4 straight hours. Walter refused to play, or go anywhere near Sage because of her little charade earlier in the day.

She unlocked the door to the apartment, and both her and Sage threw there stuff on the floor, and collapsed on the couch.

"Why does today feel like I'm dying" Sage groans, rolling off the couch and onto the floor.

"I don't know. I can't imagine how Toby must feel. All I did was work on a project at the garage for a guy that manages a manufacturing company. And I do stuff like that all the time" Happy slumps into the couch.

"Yeah, well it's okay for you to be tired, you've been sick lately" Sage says, lifting her head from the floor.

"What do you mean?" Happy's eyebrows raise, in worry and curiosity.

"You've been getting sick in the mornings, and haven't had the need to drink coffee, or anything really. Except ice cream and pickles," Sage scrunched up her nose in disgust, "which is weird and disgusting no matter what you say"

Happy laughs. "It's delicious, you need to try it sometime"

Sage fakes a gag. "No thankyou"

Happy chuckles again, and her phone vibrates, then her annoying ringtone blasts throughout the apartment. One that Toby insisted she had set, just for him.

She picks it up. "Hello?"

Sage can hear Toby talking through the phone. "Hey sugarplum. How are my two favorite girls doing?" His singsong voice makes Sage groan in jealousy and annoyance.

"Fine. Why are you so cheery" Happy grumbles, pulling out a her laptop to look up the number of that new pizza joint across town.

"I-just-got-a-few-clients" he sings into the phone, "which means, by tomorrow, i should be making at least half of what we make already, plus the money Walt gives us for sitting around and doing nothing throughout the week"

Happy and Sage perk up a little to his announcement.

Sage talks into the phone at Happy's ear. "So we can buy that really really cool apartment" Sage bounces.

"Yep. I just got off the phone with Joe, and he said that if I introduced all you guys to him tomorrow, he had about a dozen and a half clients I could take a look at" Toby says.

Happy grins, and Sage keeps talking. "We get to see Joe again? I really liked him, he seemed nice and funny"

"Yes, he's going to be coming by the garage in the morning around 10"

Sage grins, and circles around the coffee table to climb on the couch again.

"That's great Doc. What time are you going to be home tonight?" Happy asks.

Toby gives a nervous laugh. "Oh, I don't know. I've got a few of the things that needed to be done early, I should be home around...Now" the doorknob on their front door turns, and Toby walks in with his phone still to his ear, and a grin on his face.

Happy and Sage are both surprised, and Sage runs up and hugs him after the initial surprise wears off.

"This is so exciting! I can't wait!" Sage shrieks, while she throws herself at Toby.

"Woah bug. It's only been a few hours. Did you miss me that much?" Toby chuckles and smirks. Using one arm to wrap around her, and the other to place his hat on the rack near the door.

Happy stands up, and joins the hug, in an awkward Happy-like way.

"This is great. With the money you and I are making, plus the money we already have saved up, we should be able to do this"

Sage breaks away from the hug for a moment, with a confused look.

"Are you going to always have to do that work thing. Because if we can't afford it now, how are we going to afford it every month after you're done working" Sage asks.

Happy chuckles and let's go of Toby, and Toby does the same.

"We aren't buying an apartment, were buying a condo, which is basically the same thing, but we get to pay all the money up front instead of every month". (No clue if this is right, but I'm pretty sure. But I'm young, I know nothing about buying a house, or condo, or whatever)

Sage shrugs. "In that case. Yay! How long do you have to work"

"Not very long, probably just 10 months or so. It all depends on how well I do" Toby says, walking to the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge.

He collapses on the couch, next to Happy. He throws his arm on the back of the couch, behind Happy's head, and uses the other to pop open his beer with ease.

"So when's that pizza coming?" Toby asks, licking his lips.

Happy smirks, and picks up her phone again. "I was just about to call, but you called before I got the chance."

Toby shrugs, and takes a long swig of his beer, and throws his head back, and closes his eyes.

Sage spreads out on the ground on the other side of the coffee table, a little dramatically.

Happy taps her foot impatiently as she waits for the guy on the other end to pick up.

He finally answers, and she orders two pizzas. One half cheese, and half pepperoni. And the other is Toby's. A ridiculous order honestly, but it's his favorite. Cheese, sausages, mangos, and mushrooms, with extra extra tomato sauce.

"Why do you order all that gross stuff on your pizza" Sage asks.

Happy tried to hide a small smile, and Toby gave her a knowing smirk. "When I was little, and my dad worked later, my mom would always order pizza, since she wasn't allowed in the kitchen. And she always ordered those thing on her pizza, and we could never afford half and half, or two. So I just had to suck it up and eat it. And it just kind of stuck"

"Oh...do you think I'll get to meet them one day?" Sage turns her head so she can see him.

Toby's eyes widen, and he looks over at Happy for some support, but he shakes her head.

"Don't think so sweetie. I haven't talked to them in 15 years"

Sage looked down again. "Oh. Sorry."

"No problem," he glances back over at Happy, "but we do still need to introduce you to Happy's dad. He can be your very special grandpa" Toby said, taking a sip of his beer again.

Sage sat up and grinned. "Really?" She looks over at Happy for affirmation.

She smiles and nods.

Sage bounces on the floor. "Two grandpas, two uncles, an aunt, a dad, a mom, and three best friends. I love it!" Sage collapses back on the ground, looking up at the ceiling with a stars truck look in her eyes.

Toby let's out a nervous chuckle. "What do you mean. Aunts and uncles?"

"You know, Uncle Sly, Uncle Walt, and Aunt Paige" Sage lists.

"Oh. I've never heard you call then that. Except for today, when you were crying all over Walter" Toby smiles at the memory.

"Yeah, well, if I did, I'd probably just weird them out" Sage says, sitting back up.

Happy snorts a bit, trying to contain her laughter.

"No, the only one that would be freaked out would be Walter. But that's normal. He freaks out about everything" Happy says.

"Yeah, Sylvester and Paige already adore you, they would love it if you called them Uncle Sly and Aunt Paige" Toby adds.

Sage nods, and smiles. "I guess your right."

Eventually the pizza comes, and they all eat. Toby forces Sage and Happy to try a slice of his pizza. Saying 'you'll love it, it's delicious'.

Happy hates, but Sage likes it better every bite she takes. She discards her half of the cheese pizza, and helps Toby finish his.

"You two are disgusting. I can't believe you like that stuff" Happy says, scooting farther away from them on the couch.

"It tastes terrible on the first bite, but you have to keep eating it, then it gets really good" Sage says, starting on her next piece.

"Okay, whatever" Happy grumbles, taking a bite of her precious, and sacred pepperoni pizza.

|Hope u guys liked this chapter :)|


	32. Walter Babysits

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I think my writers block is about gone now. :) thankyou everyone for understanding, especially Katymint, you've helped me more than you know. I really appreciate all the positive feedback I get from you.**

 **This chapter I feel is a little more dramatic, and fluffy than any of my other ones. I was getting tired towards the end, so it might not be as well written as the rest of it. I just wanted to update. Hope you guys enjoy.**

Chapter 32

Happy was once again scaling the side of a building, but this time nobody knew that she was even considering climbing the building, let alone doing it.

Her mission was to get into the home, and set bugs all throughout the third floor. Where the guests weren't allowed access, and was blocked off downstairs. So the only way was to get in from the outside.

A wealthy man and woman, were suspected terrorists. So during their wedding in their giant home in San Diego the team thought it would be best to complete the mission then. Plenty opportunity to get in and out without getting caught, or getting suspicious looks.

Toby was still inside, undercover at the wedding reception with Paige. Planting the bugs needed on the first floor. Walter was in the next building over trying to get a stronger wifi signal to make sure the bugs were placed in the right spot, and were responding as they were supposed to. Cabe was on the second floor, posing as a photographer. Giving him easy access to all the different guests, and rooms, and distracting guests who needed to be distracted. And Sylvester was in the van, manning the comms, and making sure everything was going to plan.

The comms on Happy's end was off for some odd reason, so she had no way to communicate with the team.

She was originally supposed to make her way up to the third floor, using the air ducts, but that didn't really work. She may have had a little...mishap. So that's how she ended up stuck up on the side of a building. At least 3 stories up.

Sage was also participating in the mission, standing guard for Happy in front of the alley. Making sure none of the drunk guests made their way back there to interrupt her work. Or spotted her doing something highly illegal, such as climbing up the side of a building on private property.

And nobody would find a child as suspicious as a grown man. So Sage was the perfect man, or girl, for the job. Not to mention that she's completely adorable, and nobody can say 'no' to her puppy dog face. Not even strangers.

She was absolutely thrilled when she found out she was allowed to help them on the case. Even though her job wasn't all action and everything, it was better than sitting at home waiting for them to come home.

She heard a loud smash on the ground behind her. She turned, and there was no Happy, but there was a broken flower pot, it's little pieces scattered across the ground instead, and then a white brick fell, not long after.

She looked up to see Happy hanging from a windowsill. The protruding brick she had been resting her foot on, gave out beneath her and fell to the ground. Now she was just hanging there, helplessly.

Sage's eyes widened, and she whimpered. Then pressed her finger to her ear to activate the comm Sylvester had given her. "Dad! Happy's hanging off the side of a building. She's gonna fall!" She yelled. Then started running towards her.

But her feet wouldn't move, like they were glued to the ground beneath her. She could hear the whole team yelling in her ear. But the only thing she was focused on, was to get to Happy.

"I'm coming Happy!" Was the last thing she heard on Toby's end. Then her mind just blocked out anything else.

She could no longer smell the foul stench of the garbage a few feet from her. She couldn't hear anything, just a loud ringing in her ear, and her own brain going a million miles a minute, trying to figure out what's wrong. And all feeling in her arms, legs and hands disappeared too. As if she were falling into a deep sleep.

Only difference was she was awake, and fully aware of what was happening around her.

She was pumping her unfeeling arms, and her legs still weren't moving. She tried screaming, or yelling. But she couldn't speak. Words wouldn't come out. She couldn't even hear herself or her own thoughts anymore, because the ringing had just gotten louder, and even more distracting.

Then She saw the brick holding Happy's left hand give out, and fall to the ground next to the previous one.

She tried screaming and running again, but her body wasn't responding like it should.

She saw Happy swing a little bit, and struggle to regain her grip on the window sill.

She saw behind her Toby running across the street, towards them. But every passing moment he seemed to get farther and farther away, like he was running backwards.

Then she saw it. The brick holding Happy's right hand shifted, causing her to loose her grip and fall.

In slow motion, Sage could see her loose her hold, and lean back, falling to her for sure death.

She tried screaming again. Now the tears were running down her eyes, like fire, as she tried to run. Harder than before. Her throat soar from her efforts to scream. But nothing was working.

Happy's arms went in front of her, trying to reach for the window again, but she missed by a hair, and continued to fall backwards.

One story, two story.

Sage was finally able to scream, and Happy was on the ground, motionless, and...Dead.

"Mama!"

OoOoOo

Sage bolted upright. Her face covered in sweat and tears, along with the rest of her body.

She was shaking from the nightmare, even though she knew instantly that none of it was real, it still scared her more than anything. That it's possible she could loose someone she really cares about in an instant.

She looked around the dark room, and noticed that she was laying on the ground in a sleeping bag in a strange and unfamiliar room.

She stood up with wobbly legs, with her arms wrapped around herself, and looked around. She was in Ralph's room.

They had been staying here for almost a week, and she still wasn't used to it yet.

She let out a sigh of relief, and looked to her left, to see Aidan also in a sleeping bag. And to her right, was Ralph laying in his bed. Both asleep.

Apparently her scream hadn't woken them up, or she just hadn't screamed at all, and it was all just a figment of her imagination. Just like everything else.

It was all just a dream. Happy was fine. Toby was fine. The team was all fine. They were coming back from their mission to pick her up.

She kept reappearing that in her head like a mantra, to keep her calm.

Aidan, Ralph, and Sage stayed behind with Walter, because he had broke his leg, arm, and foot on the last mission. And still wasn't allowed to leave his bed, even though he was feeling much better.

Sage wiped away the sweat on her forehead, and felt her way around to exit Ralph's room, so she didn't trip over anything.

She was still shaking, very badly, and waves of fear were still flowing in and out of her mind. She could remember every tragic second of that dream. And she couldn't imagine going through it again.

That's one of the downside of having photographic memory. You may be able to remember the good moments, but you can remember the bad just as well.

She stumbled out of Ralph's room, and wandered around the large apartment in the dark.

Walter and Paige had finally moved, and the place looked amazing. It was really nice, and really big. At least bigger than she was used to.

It was harder to feel her way around the rest of the house, so she ended up tripping over the coffee table in the living room. Next to the room Walter was resting in.

She looked over at the clock, and it said it was 10:00. So Walter was hopefully still asleep.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case. "Sage. Is that you" he asks, in a loud whisper. Through the small crack in the door.

Sage walks into his room. Trying to hide her tears and the fact that she was shaking uncontrollably, by wrapping her arms around herself again.

"H-hey Uncle Walt. I didn't know you were still up" Sage said, trying her best to give a convincing smile.

Walter's sitting up in bed, with the lamp beside him turned on, reading a book, while his leg propped up with a couple pillows.

He noticed Sage shaking, and set down his book on his nightstand.

He cleared his throat, "is-is everything alright?"

Sage nodded, and another tear rolled down her cheek as her voice cracked while she spoke, "yeah, couldn't be better"

Walter tried not to panic. He glanced from side to side anxiously. Looking for some logical solution that of course would never come. So he had no choice but to think emotional.

Eventually he turned to look back at Sage, with her head bowed, and her arms wrapped around herself, tighter than before.

"Did-did you have a nightmare?" He asked, shifting a bit in the bed.

Sage nodded her head, and looked up at him. Trying to wipe away the tears falling freely down her face.

Walter shifted a bit more, and awkwardly patted the empty bed beside him.

Sage widened her eyes, and glanced between the bed and Walter.

He nodded, and moved his hand so Sage could climb in.

She readily took the opportunity, and carefully climbed over Walter's legs, to the other side of his bed.

She got under the blankets, and laid on her side, facing Walter's body.

She inched closer to him, giving him plenty opportunity to move away, but he didn't. He instead raised his healthy arm, inviting Sage closer.

She accepted, and snuggled into Walter's side. She could feel Walter's irregular heartbeat, from the uncomfortable situation, but she didn't address it.

He lowered his arm around her shoulders slowly, as if contemplating on whether or not it was a good choice. Sage sniffed at his shirt, and her eyes started closing, from the lack of peaceful sleep. "You smell like my Daddy" she hummed.

Walter cleared his throat again, "what does your Dad do when you have nightmares?"

He wants some idea of what to do in this situation. He had asked Toby of the possibility before they left, but he just shrugged, and waved it off, claiming 'she shouldn't have any'.

They had been doing sessions for almost a month now, and both Aidan and Sage were improving, and hadn't had any bad nightmares since.

Walter found it very odd that this was just coming up now, after a full month of clean nights. "Do-do you miss them? Is that why your having nightmares? I've heard you haven't had any in a while"

Sage nodded, and drew her hand up to rest barely on his chest, fisting some of his shirt in her hand.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Walter was trying his best here. Even though he had no idea what he was doing, but he must have been doing something right, judging by how Sage was reacting.

Sage let out a steady breath and talked in a low voice. "I dreamed that I was on a mission with you guys. Everyone was doing their part, and I was keeping guard for Happy to get into the third floor of a building. But she ended up climbing up it instead, since she couldn't get through the original way," Sage paused for a moment.

"Then she lost her grip, and I couldn't run or yell. It was like I was frozen in place, Daddy was running towards us, but he kept getting farther and farther away. Then she fell, all the way down. And d-died."

Sage cried a bit more for a minute, as she relived the unpleasant memory. "I saw my own Momma go splat on the ground. Nothing else was moving, except the blood coming from her body. Just like what happened with DeDe"

Walter awkwardly maneuvered his hand so it was in a position to stroke Sages hair, as she cried into his white shirt.

"Well their going to be here in the morning. Only a few more hours until you get to see her again. Okay," Walter reached over to turn out the lamp with his bad hand. Which took a while, "so let's go to sleep, and I bet they'll be here when you wake up."

He slid down the back of the bed, so he was laying flat on his back, and his head on his pillow.

Sage stayed where she was, with her arms wrapped around Walter, and his around her. Using his arm as a pillow.

They fell asleep just like that. And hopefully the team was back by morning.

With the team...

"This is literally the longest case we've ever had" Sylvester complains, slumping his shoulders while he half sleeps, half walks down the busy hallways of the airport at LAX.

The rest of the team nods in agreement.

"As much as I love England, being there for a whole week is not my cup of tea" Toby says, laughing at his own stupid pun.

Happy just shook her head in amusement, and Paige scoffed.

"It's 7 in the morning and you're already making stupid puns," Cabe sighs, "you guys want to get some coffee before we go pick up the kids." He offered.

Everyone shakes their head.

"As much as I need coffee right now, I'd like to go see my baby" Toby says, marching to the front of the group. Followed closely by the rest of the parents, eager to see their kids again.

Cabe sighs and shrugs his shoulders. Picking up his pace to catch up with the rest of the team.

OoOoOo

Cabe and the rest of the team climbed in the car. Sly riding shotgun, Paige in the very back, and Happy and Toby in the middle seats.

"Ready guys?" He asked, as he drives out of the parking garage.

Everyone silently nods, and closes their eyes for at least a moment of rest. Something they haven't got very much of in the past week.

Happy falls asleep on Toby's shoulder, and Toby lays his head on hers, falling asleep as well.

By the time they get to Walter and Paige's new apartment building, the whole team is asleep except Cabe. The driver.

He jerks the car when he stops, in an effort to wake them up. But it doesn't work as nicely he had planned.

The only one that woke was Sylvester, who threw his arms in front of him instantly.

"Get up! Your kids are waiting for ya!" Cabe yells, at the rest of them.

Happy's head jolts up, hitting Toby's jaw, hard, on the way up.

He groans, and rubs his jaw. As Paige also groans from the backseat. But for a different reason.

They shuffle out the car one tired genius at a time.

Eventually they make it up to the 3rd floor, to Paige's apartment.

She unlocks the door with her keys, and cracks open the door, while the rest of the team waits anxiously behind her.

Seeing that things are safe, and not a complete disaster, she opens it all the way. To let the team in.

Nobody was in the room, and the only trace that someone has even been here for the past week was a tipped over coffee table, with the magazines scattered across the floor.

"You know it's not that bad, considering that kids took over the house for the past week" Cabe observes, walking in behind the rest of them.

Paige nods. "I'm going to check on Walter, you guys check Ralph's room. They're probably all sleeping in there" Paige says, stepping over the fallen coffee table and walking towards their bedroom.

Cabe sits on the sofa, while the three geniuses file into Ralph's empty room. They look around at the two empty sleeping bags, and empty bed.

"Uh...where...are they?" Toby asks, nervously.

Happy observes the room frantically for a minute, Toby and Sylvester soon joining in. For any evidence of a struggle or quick getaway.

"They knew we were coming back today, right?" Sylvester asks, looking through Aidan's bag.

"That's it! I'm never leaving my child with Walter ever again!" Toby says angrily, throwing Sage's sleeping bag to the floor.

"Calm down. Let's just go tell Paige, she can help us find them" Happy says, squeezing Toby's arm, and hurriedly leading them out of the room.

When they enter the master bedroom, they see Paige standing at the foot of the bed, raising her phone to take a picture of everyone in the bed.

Aidan was laying across Walter's chest, arms and legs, hanging off either side of him, drooling on Walter white t-shirt.

Walter has his broken arm, protectively, and carefully laid across Aidan's back, and the other hugging both Ralph and Sage into his side.

Ralph had his arms wrapped around Sage, and her face was pressed in Ralph's chest, trapping her arms too. And her back pressed closely to Walter's side.

Sylvester brings his hand to his mouth, to hold back a gasp of disbelief.

Happy and Toby grin, while pulling out their phones, to take a picture with Paige.

Sylvester calls Cabe in the room to look, and Cabe grins bigger than any of them have ever seen.

"Looks like Walter loves them after all" he says. Pulling his phone out to try and figure out how to take a picture too.

They see Walter's eyes twitch a bit, then slowly blink open.

The first sight he sees, is a bunch of phones pointing towards his face. He smiles goofily, probably because of the fact that he just woke up.

"What's going on?" He asks, attempting to sit up, and move his arm.

When he realizes that both are being weighed down, he panics a bit. Then looks to his side at Ralph and Sage cuddled next to him, and down to Aidan snoring on his chest.

He calmed down a bit, and shifted a bit, to get more comfortable. Then groans.

"Why are these kids all in my bed?" He asks, looking at the team with a confused expression.

"I don't know Walt, why are they?" Toby asks with a smirk.

Walter groans again, and moves his arm off of Aidan's back. "I don't even remember Aidan and Ralph coming in here"

"What about Sage?" Sylvester asks.

"She came in, she had a nightmare, and I let her sleep with me. That's what you're supposed to do right?" Walter asks, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Happy chuckles this time. "Yeah Walt, you did good"

Walter tried to smile again, but winces. "Do you think you can move them, I think my arms fell asleep, and it's very uncomfortable."

Sylvester nods quickly, rearranging his bag, so it's behind him, and rushes up to Walter. Picking up Aidan from Walter's chest, and laying his head on his shoulder.

He grunts from the effort, but is able to do it. They can hear Aidan groan a little, and see his eyes fluttering a bit. "Hi Daddy"

He hugs Sylvester's neck, and lays his head back down on his shoulder. Falling back asleep, and eventually snoring again.

Paige is next. She lifts up both Sage and Ralph's head, so Walter can move his arm.

He's able to move it, and lay it across his chest, as he waits for the feeling to return.

Paige shakes Ralph just a bit to wake him up. And Toby stands behind Paige to get Sage afterwards.

"Mom?" Ralph asks, opening his eyes, and letting go of Sage.

He rolls over and throws his legs over the side of the bed to stand up. He rubs at his eyes, before hugging his mom, and welcoming her home.

Paige picks him up, and does the same as Sylvester did with Aidan, and Ralph goes back to sleep too.

Sage shivers from the loss of contact, and when Toby moves forward to get her, she rolls, so she's pressed closer into Walter's side.

Walter moved away slowly, and Happy laughed at the two men's struggles.

Toby stretches a bit farther to drag her towards him.

"Careful Toby. Remember what she does when you wake her up" Sylvester says nervously.

"Thank you Sylvester. I totally forgot" Toby says sarcastically, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed.

Sylvester frowned and grunted at Toby's unfavorable response.

He backed away as far as he could, and shook Sage's shoulder to wake her up.

Her first attempt was a punch above her, but when her fist didn't come in contact with a face. She subconsciously kicked out towards where Toby was standing.

He groaned, and placed his hands between his legs, where Sage kicked him. His face turning red from the pain, and he knelt to the ground slowly.

"Ow" he groaned.

Happy rushed over, and placed a hand on his shoulder, before turning over to Sage, waking up on the bed.

Toby bent forward, his forehead touching the ground, as he tried his hardest not to make too much noise.

Cabe was laughing really hard, and Sylvester had that 'i told you so' look on his face, as he swung his body back and forth to help Aidan sleep.

Sage opened her eyes, to see Happy rubbing her cheek, and smiling.

Sage's eyes widened, and she threw her arms around Happy's neck. Almost knocking Happy backwards.

Happy hugged her back, as Sage buried her face in her mess of hair, and fisted the back of her jacket in her hands.

As Happy picked her up, and held her above the ground.

"I missed you so much Mama. I had a really really bad dream that you left me. I'm really really glad your back" Sage whispered in her hair.

Happy froze for a moment. That was the first time Sage had called her anything relating to Mom or Mother. It's always been 'Happy'.

And to be honest, she loved the new name. It made her heart flutter just thinking about it. Making her even more excited about the baby.

Happy smiles, and holds her, until Toby gets himself together.

Everyone smiles at the sweet reunion, even Walter.

Sage lifts her head from Happy's shoulder, and looks around. "Where's Daddy?"

Toby raises his hand from the floor, putting his hand on his knee to try and help him stand up.

Happy sets Sage on her feet, so she can go to Toby.

As soon as her feet touch the ground, she throws her arms around an unexpecting Toby. Knocking him back down on his butt, to the ground.

Everyone laughed, as Toby hugs her, kissing the top of her blonde tangled head.

When Sage is done squeezing the life out of him, he stands up with her in his arms, resting her on his hip.

She hugs him around the neck again. "I missed you guys so much. Please don't leave like that again" she said, her voice muffled from his shirt.

"Missed you too baby. I'm never going to go on a case that long without bringing you with me" he said, as she lifts her head from his shoulder and smiles at him.

He grins back, and kisses her cheek.

She giggles, and lays her head back on his shoulder.

She reached out for Happy, standing behind Toby.

Happy grabbed her hand, and held it tightly, standing on her tippy toes to kiss her forehead.

"So are you guys gonna just stand around here. Or are we gonna go get breakfast." Cabe asked, as Sage's stomach rumbles, as if on cue.

Toby laughs. "I guess we are".

He tries setting Sage on the ground, but she just wraps her legs around his waist, and doesn't let go.

"Can I just go in my pajamas. I don't want to get dressed"

Toby turns to face Happy, showing off Sage.

"What do you think Happy. Appropriate for a breakfast diner" he jokes, bouncing Sage a little.

Sage smiles, and hides her face in his neck.

She was wearing black leggings, and Toby's old shirt that she got on her first night. It's her absolute favorite.

"I think so" Happy says, tickling Sage's bare feet.

Sage scrunched her nose, and retracts her feet. Giggling a little from the contact.

"Alright. I'll just grab Aidan's bag, and let him go like this" Sylvester says, walking out of the room, and making his way to Ralph's. While carrying Aidan in his arms still.

Paige helps Walter get up and out of bed, after setting Ralph down. "Do you think you can come eat with us Walter?"

Walter nods, and grunts from the effort of standing in the first time in a week.

"Ok. Good." She nods, pulling a shirt over his head and over his undershirt. "Your just gonna have to go to the diner with your pajama pants on. K" Paige says, handing him his crutch next, and giving him a short sweet kiss, which he gladly accepts.

Walter nods, and struggles to make it out the door.

Paige turns to her son Ralph. "Do you want to get dressed before we go?"

Ralph shook his head, and yawned, looking down at his spaceman pajamas. "No, I'll just go like this"

"Okay. Is everyone ready?" She asks, turning to look at everyone individually.

Toby shakes his head, and spins in a circle, as if he was looking for something.

"Um no...Where's my hat? I left it with Sage, because she wouldn't give it back, and so it'd stay safe" he looked around the room a bit more.

"It's with my stuff in Ralph's room" Sage says, pointing out the door.

"Okay. Let's go get my beautiful hat" he marches off in the direction of Ralph's room, bouncing Sage up and down with each step.

Making her laugh, and everyone else grin.

When they reach Kovelsky's they get weird looks from everyone.

Probably because a grown man, with crutches came in in his pajamas. Along with three kids also in their odd pajamas.

They get the big round booth in the middle of the diner. Walter and Cabe on the outside.

Aidan's sitting on Sylvester's lap, next to Cabe, playing with his fingers. Paige is sitting in between Ralph and Walter. And Sage is between Toby and Happy, in the middle of the group. While Toby sits next to Ralph, and Happy sits next to Aidan.

"So what's everyone going to order" the waitress asks, after they had a moment to decide.

Everyone puts in their order. All three kids getting pancakes, along with Toby and Walter. Everyone else gets either eggs, bacon, and toast, or another traditional breakfast.

Sage ends up stealing Toby's hat again, while she happily eats her pancakes. Giggling as Toby tickles her sides, for taking it.

The door to the diner opens, and a few more people walk in. And the whole team but Toby turn with wide eyes to look at a very familiar face.

Instead he continues his tickling torture, and leans Sage's head back, to press a soft kiss to her forehead, and moving the hat and hair out of her face, tickling her with his scruff.

Happy kicks Toby's shin under the table, and he looks over at her, with an angered look.

"Hey! What was-" Happy points at a blonde heading towards their table.

"Oh" he says

Sage pushes the hat out of her eyes again, and looks at the woman the team is staring at.

"Who's she?" She asks.

Toby turns to her, and pats her leg under the table. "Nobody you need to worry about sweetie"

She can hear him lying through his teeth, and the obvious anger and hatred he's holding back.

Eventually the blonde stops in front of the table, and gives a sheepish grin.

"Hey guys, long time no see. I see you've made a few new friends, which is...good. Quincy told me about the work you've been doing, an-" Toby interrupts her.

"What do you want Amy?" Toby asks with a fake smile.

She glances between him and Sage, wearing his hat and t-shirt.

"I, uh. Actually would just like to...talk to you. I've been meaning to call you, but I haven't had the time"

Sage tugs on Toby's jacket, and whispers. "Daddy who is she?"

"Nobody, sweetie. Now just eat your breakfast, I'll be right back."

Walter, Paige and Ralph file out of the booth, to let Toby through. Then climb back in when he's out and gone.

Sage takes another bite of her pancakes, while watching them exit the restaurant to talk outside, in the parking lot. Then turns her head to look at Happy, glaring daggers at them.

With Toby and Amy...

"Amy, you shouldn't be here. I don't want to talk with you" Toby says, crossing his arms, and frowning.

"Toby just listen. Please," she begs.

Toby scrunched his nose, and turns to look at the team watching through the window.

"I can see that you've adopted a little girl. And that's great, she seems really fond of yo-" Toby interrupts her again.

"No! She's not adopted, she's mine" he says, offended by her assumption.

She gives a confused look "Ho-"

"Long story," he nods his head, "continue"

"Well anyway, recently me and Quincy have gotten a divorce, and I was wondering that maybe you could...take me back" she lowers her head in shame as she speaks.

Toby shakes his head in disbelief. "Why would I ever? I'm finally happy with my life, and as soon as yours doesn't got the way you plan, you come crawling back. After you abandoned ME!" He says, through gritted teeth.

"Toby, I can tell you're doing a lot better now. I've been hearing stories of you getting back into the business. And I'm so happy for you" she reaches out to touch his arm, but he jerks it away from her.

"Listen. I've changed because of that woman in there" he points to Happy in the window, helping Sage with her breakfast, and also stealing Toby's hat back, without her noticing, "and I have never ever been happier, and I could never ask for anything better. So no, I will not take you back, just because you see that I'm doing better in life, and want to take advantage of that. You had the chance, and you blew it, and I'm kind of glad you did" he says, turning back around to walk back in the restaurant.

But Amy grabs his arm, spinning him to face her again. "Your telling me that your satisfied with that dirty mechanic that can't even process the prospect of love!" She yells.

Toby's face turns red in the face, from his anger, as he points a threatening finger at her. "You-"

The team...

The team along with the rest of the restaurant turn to look out the window, while Toby and Amy scream at each other.

Their voices are muffled, so they can't hear exactly what they are saying, but if you didn't know them, it would probably be very amusing to watch.

Especially with all of Toby's stupid hand gestures, and Amy's bright red face as she screams at him.

But unfortunately the team knew them, and that just made everyone more uncomfortable.

Happy was about to climb right over Sylvester and Cabe, steaming with anger, but Cabe stops her.

"I'll take care of it Happy, we don't want things to get even more out of hand" he said, putting emphasis on the last part of his statement.

Cabe stands up and walks outside, to hear Amy yelling at Toby now. "WELL MAYBE, IF YOU HADN'T BLOWN THROUGH ALL OUR SAVINGS THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!"

"IM GLAD I BLEW THROUGH ALL OUR SAVINGS. BECAUSE NOW I DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH YOU!" Toby shouts back.

Cabe grabs his shoulder, and pulls him back, and away from Amy, to calm him down.

Amy glares daggers at him. "This isn't your business grandpa. Stay out of it!"

Cabe sighs, and pulls out his badge. "Oh, it is totally my business. You two are making a very big disturbance outside of a public area. I would advise you keep it down" Cabe says in a condescending voice.

Toby shakes his hand off his shoulder, and spins on his heel, swinging the door open to the restaurant and marching inside. While Amy scowls, and heads to her car.

Cabe sighs, and watches the two leave in opposite directions. Then heading in himself.

Toby is already shuffling back into the booth by the time he reaches the table.

Sage raises her eyebrow while taking a sip of her orange juice. Then sets it down on the table. "She still a nobody?"

OoOoOo

Cabe drives everyone home, since none of them had cars.

Things are pretty awkward in the van, with a pissed Toby and Happy, and a confused Sage, Ralph, and Aidan.

Every small thing, seemed to set them off. Like Sylvester tapping a his fingers on the door.

"Sylvester for the love of God, stop it!" Toby yelled, resting his elbows on his knees, and putting his head in his hands.

Sage looked over, and put her small hand on his back to rub it.

She took off his hat, and put it on his head, while continuing to rub his back. She leaned her head up against his shoulder too, to try and get him to calm down.

He smiled, and put an arm around her, pulling her closer to him, and looking down at her, under his arm.

Happy was also stewing, and she was sitting next to Aidan, playing with his fingers while staring at the ceiling of the van.

He looked over at Happy muttering to herself. Then looked down at her hand resting on her leg.

He formed a fist and put it near Happy's hand. She looked down at Aidan's fist, and then at her own hand.

She forms a fist with her hand, and gives him a fist bump. He smiles, and hugs Happy. Making her smile.

When he lets go, she Ruffles his dark brown hair. "Don't be upset Aunt Happy. Everything's going to be alright" he pats her hand resting on her leg. Then looks up at her, sounding much older than he really is.

"Thanks buddy" she smiled, resting her hand on the top of his head, while leaning back in her seat, and relaxing a bit.

At the apartment...

Boxes were literally everywhere. They were getting ready to move really soon. The money Toby's made, plus the money they had saved up, is enough to buy the condo right now.

And the money they both made on this previous case, is more than enough to pay for a nice new car.

Sage honestly didn't know why they still needed more money, and why Toby was still working. They had everything they really needed at the moment.

As soon as they were in the apartment Toby ran to the couch and dramatically laid across it, leaving no room for anyone else. Happy groaned, and just laid on his back, since there was no where else to go.

Sage got her bag she brought to Ralph's, and brought it to her room, shaking her head, and sighing to herself.

She unpacked the clothes, and put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket. She closed her door to get dressed, while Happy and Toby laid lazily on the couch.

After a minute or two they heard a loud thump come from Sage's room.

"Everything alright in there" Toby yells, his face half smushed into the cushion by the way he was laying on the couch.

"Yeah, just dropped my shirt"

Happy and Toby raised an eyebrow. "That sounded a lot heavier than a shirt" Happy said suspiciously.

They heard Sage laugh, and then respond. "That's because I was in the shirt" she opened the door, and walked in the room. Showing off her baggy shirt.

Toby and Happy laughed and laughed. Everything is funnier when your exhausted for some annoying reason. So they struggled to stop, they kept giggling, and when they tried to hold it in, they would just burst out laughing, and the whole process would start over again.

Sage smiles awkwardly as they struggled to control their giggle fits. At her not funny joke.

"I'm gonna go finish a drawing. You guys are probably exhausted, so try and get some sleep."

She helps Happy up off Toby first, who stumbles when she gets up, and falls on the floor.

The laughing stops for a moment, then starts again, but louder this time.

"Are you guys high or something" Sage asks, while grunting, from the effort of getting Toby off the couch.

Toby and Happy just laughed some more.

Sage sighed, pushed a little harder, and forced Toby up and off the couch. She pushed them both to their room, and pretty much had to tuck them in bed.

Eventually they stopped laughing, and Toby grabbed Sage's arm before she left.

"Thanks Bug, love you" he says, dropping his hand as he falls asleep. Along with Happy pressed against his back.

Sage smiles, and kisses his forehead, before shutting the door behind her as she left.

4 hours later...

Toby's woken up by Happy shaking his shoulder, with an excited voice.

"Toby look" she lifts her shirt, to show off a small, barely visible bump on her belly.

Toby rubs his eyes and stretches. He has to wake up fully to understand why Happy is showing him her stomach in the middle of the afternoon. When he's awake he looks at Happy's roundish belly a little closer, and his eyes widen.

He gets up from bed, and kneels down so he's level with Happy's stomach, and runs a hand across it. Tracing the outline the small bump created around Happy's small frame. He rests his forehead on it, while wrapping his arms around her waist

He kissed her, right above her belly button, while Happy ran a hand through his hair, with a smile on her face.

He stood up, and kisses her hard. Then breaks away to rest his forehead against hers. "I still have trouble wrapping my head around this"

His hands are resting on Happy's hips now, and Happy cups his face with her hands. "I have trouble too. But I'm so excited, in 7 months we're going to have a baby"

She kisses Toby again, this one short and sweet.

Toby starts swaying back and forth, Happy following his lead, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We really do need to go in for that checkup, though." He says, as they dance around the room, "we've been putting it off"

"What about tomorrow? Sage can stay with the team for an hour or so, while we go to the doctors"

Toby nods, "that'll work," he says, "I'm so excited for this".

Happy smiles, and stands on her tip toes to kiss him again. "I know"


	33. IQ and EQ

Chapter 33

Happy and Toby slept for the rest of the day, and night. They were really tired from the long hours of the case. They had barely gotten any sleep for the past week, and they still had to go into work tomorrow, because of their idiot boss, that didn't have to experience any of it, because of his stupid injury.

Not to mention how stressed both Toby and Happy were after the encounter with Amy, and the new discovery they had made earlier that afternoon. Other than that though, they really enjoyed today. Seeing Sage again, and eating out for breakfast, like they used to always do.

Sage, on the other hand, stayed up almost all night, keeping to herself, and watching a bit of TV, while she drew happily on the couch. The past week had been fun, hanging out with the boys and Walter, but she did like being back in her own home, with her parents just a room away.

She eventually got kind of tired, but couldn't go back to sleep. She was still really shook up from the dream she had the previous night, about Happy. Even though Happy and Toby were both home safe, and she trusted them more than she`s ever trusted anyone before.

So she sighed, and threw the covers off her, and tiptoed into the master bedroom, where the other two residents were sleeping happily.

She climbed in from the foot of the bed, and snuggled up against Happy's back, sandwiching her between herself and Toby, and slept better than she had for a long time.

The Dineen-O'brien household...

Everyone in the home was up and moving around 8 in the morning. Walter had told the team that they didn't have to come in until 11 or 12, because of the last case. He could tell by the way Paige had moped around when they got home, that she was really exhausted. And if she was exhausted, it was almost a guarantee that the rest of the team was just as exhausted, maybe even more.

So he had sent her to bed very early, promising to pick up a little around the house, and making dinner for himself and Ralph, who spent most of the day playing videogames, while Walter cared to Paige, and sometimes joining him for a race or two.

That morning, Walter was sitting in his seat at the table, with his foot propped up on the chair beside him.

Ralph and him were discussing the new IQ test Walter had recently finished. Helping him clean up the little quirks that might make the results slightly inaccurate.

Paige was cooking breakfast. Eggs and bacon. Wide awake and cheery, as she bounced around the kitchen.

She set the plateful of bacon on the table, and Walter and Ralph grabbed a handful, and started chewing on their delicious piece of bacon.

Paige smirked, and grabbed her own piece, before going back into the kitchen to grab the eggs.

2 hours later...

Paige drove them all to the garage, since Walter couldn't drive with his broken leg and foot. Which was his fault for being so reckless, a few cases ago.

Getting him in and out of the car was a bit of a struggle, without having Cabe or Toby to help support his weight.

Eventually they were able to make it to the door of the garage, Paige and Ralph walking behind him, making sure he didn't fall on his face. As soon as the door swung open, they could hear a radio blasting music from the back of the garage.

Walter limped in, using his crutch. Looking over at Happy's station, and then at Toby's station.

Nobody was there yet, and yet loud music was playing, definitely in the garage. And the only one that ever blasted music in the garage was Toby, but only when nobody was around, but only to avoid getting punched or yelled at.

"TOBY! Are you here! And if you are turn that down!" Paige yelled over the music, and walking in beside Walter, and helping him shrug off his bag, that carried his laptop.

Walter turned to look at her. "It's not Toby"

Then, to prove Walter's statement, a short little man came walking around, from the back of the garage.

"Wally! It's so great to see you!" Ray yells, running up to Walter, and wraps his arms around his neck, and squeezing him in a hug.

Walter winced, when he squeezed a little too hard, and Ray let go to greet the other two.

"Hey little man," he says, ruffling Ralph's hair, "hi Patty, it's great to see you" Then Ray hugged Paige, and patted her shoulder, before stepping back, and admiring the trio, with his hands set happily on his hips.

"Wow," he breathed, "so much has changed. Did you know you guys have a giant Jenga game in the back. It's super awesome" Ray said, pointing his thumb behind him, and towards the trailer in the back.

"Yes. That's Ralph's and Sage's. That's pretty much all they do nowadays when they come to the garage" Walter said, limping over to his desk, to sit down.

Ray follows him, while Paige and Ralph go their own separate ways, and settling in at their own designated spots.

Ray leans his body against Walter's desk.

"Who's this Sage you speak of. She sounds fun" Ray says, waggling his eyebrows.

"First off, she's a child, and second, ew" Walter says, with a sigh. And looking through his mountain of paperwork.

Ray's eyes widen comically. "When'd you guys get another kid"

Walter sighs, and looks up at him. "It's not place to say. You'll have to talk to her or Toby for that story"

"Alright Wally," Ray says, patting his shoulder, "When's the rest of the team gonna get here" he asks.

Walter looks down at his phone, for the time. "A few minutes to an hour. Depends on how late they feel like being" Walter grumbles, while struggling to pull his laptop out of his bag.

Ray pats his stomach, and groans. "Well, I guess I'll just rest on the couch till everyone else gets here. It's been too long" Ray says, flopping down on the couch.

30 minutes later...

Sylvester comes in, holding Aidan's hand, and his bag thrown across his shoulder.

He shoes Aidan over towards Ralph, who is working on his game program he showed Sage a while back.

Aidan watched him for a little while, before getting bored, like always, and wandering over to Toby's desk to get a book.

"Aidan. Remember you have to wait until Uncle Toby gets here to take his books" Sylvester tells him, while poking at a sleeping Ray.

He looks up at Walter, while Aidan slinks away from Toby's desk, and towards the couch, where they are standing. "What's Ray doing back?"

Ray wakes up when he hears his name. "Reporting for duty sir" he yells, saluting, with a yawn, and tired eyes.

Sylvester staggers back a little from the surprising outburst, and Aidan runs up to him. Poking his cheek, as he wakes up a bit more.

Ray swats at his arm, and Aidan giggles, poking him in the cheek again.

Ray stops, and looks over at Aidan. "Who are you?" He asks, looking between him and Sylvester.

"This is Aidan" Sylvester puts his hand on his shoulder, and Aidan sticks out his fist.

Ray grins, and hits his fist, and doing a fancy explosion afterwards.

Aidan looks in 'aw' at Ray's hand, making him do it again and again. Then doing it himself after seeing Ray do it about 5 times.

Ray looks over his shoulder, at Sylvester, who moved over to his desk, unpacking his stuff. "What's up with this kid?"

Sylvester answers, while taking his laptop out of his bag. "He discovered fist bumps about a month ago, and he's for some reason fascinated by it"

He sets up Aidan's little station, attached to his desk. Placing his laptop there, so he can do whatever he does.

Happy had built and extension on his desk, that sticks out just enough, and is just a little shorter. Perfect for Aidan's size, it has a chair and everything.

Paige says that the next time she goes shopping she's going to get a mini swivel chair just for him, and he couldn't stop grinning, and bouncing around when he heard the news.

Paige comes back into the main area, and sees Sylvester and Aidan. "Morning Sylvester, morning Aidan"

Aidan runs up to her and gives her a hug, then sticking out his fist, and showing off his new found way of fist bumping.

Paige laughs and combs her fingers through his hair, while Sylvester calls him over.

He sits down in his folding chair, and immediately starts typing on the computer.

Sylvester made a program connecting Aidan's computer to his own, just to be sure he wasn't getting into anything he wasn't supposed to. To try and prevent another incident.

Ray stands up, and wanders to Sylvester's desk, looking over Aidan's shoulder.

"What's he doing? It doesn't look like the stuff you guys do" Ray says.

Sylvester looks over, "nobody really knows except Sage. We think he's developing a more efficient and faster coding process. He doesn't ever talk about it either, so it's hard to understand"

Ray nods "What if he works secretly for the CSI to spy on you. And what he's working on is a virus that he must install into each of your computers" Ray speculates.

Sylvester sighs, wile Walter smirks from his desk. "We are 100% sure he is not CSI. It's a long story"

Ray looks at him expectantly, "I'm gonna be here all day"

Fortunately the garage door opens around then, and Toby calls out in the garage. "Got Bagels!" Carrying a large bag into the garage, followed by Happy carrying another bag, and tray of coffees and hot chocolates.

Sage comes teetering in a little later, carrying all their stuff that they left in the car, and the other tray of hot drinks, being balanced on her free hand

Ralph jumps up from his seat in the kitchen to help Sage carry her things. While Toby and Happy set the bags on the table in the middle of the room, and she hands out the drinks.

"Here you go Uncle Walt, Uncle Sly, Aidan," she turns to Ralph, who was following her, "and Ralph"

She looks over at Ray, standing over by Sylvester's desk. "Who are you?"

Ray smirks, and sticks out his hand. "Could say the same to you. My names Ray" he says, shaking Sage's hand.

"Sage. It's nice to meet you" she lets go of his hand, and runs off to the food bags to get her late breakfast.

Everyone but Walter was already gathered around the two bags of food, while Toby passes everything out to everyone.

After everyone gets their food, Ray walks up to the table, with his hands in his pockets.

Toby looks up and sees him. "Ah, Ray! It's good to see you!" He claps him on the back, and Ray grins.

"Good to see you too Tony" Toby sighs, and tries to correct him, "it's Toby"

Ray laughs, "I know, I'm just messing with ya"

Sage is watching the exchange, from the table, eating her breakfast. Happy has yet to finish her and Ralph's shared desk. She should be finished with it soon.

Ralph sits next to her, eating his own bagel, and typing with one hand on his computer.

"So you and Happy? Took you guys long enough" Ray says, smirking at Toby's surprised face.

Toby raises his eyebrows, "how'd you know?"

"Oh come on," Ray scoffs, "you two came in with bagels from Kovelskys together, and a kid. Don't tell me you guys are still 'just friends'" Ray crosses his arms in front of him, with his smug grin growing.

Toby shakes his head in amusement, and smiles, while balling up the paper bags.

"See! I notice things!" Ray yells after him, while he walks to the kitchen to throw it away. Ray stands there awkwardly, with his hands in his pockets again.

Sage watches him with a raised eyebrow, while taking a big bite of her sandwich. He looks over at her, and smiles, then walks off towards Sylvester's desk again.

"Hey Dad! What's Ray doing here?" Sage says, taking another bite of her breakfast.

Toby comes back to the table, and braces his hands on the edge while he leans forward. "He's an old friend of Walt's. He sort of disappeared one day, I'm guessing he's back for a visit" Toby says, shrugging his shoulders, and getting into his own breakfast.

"Uncle Walt had a friend! Like a human friend!" Sage's mouth drops.

Toby reaches across the table to close it, and nods. "Yep, we couldn't believe it either"

Happy comes up behind Toby, and reaches over Toby's shoulder for her breakfast.

Toby grabs her arm, and pulling her down towards him, so he can whisper something in her ear.

"When is your appointment?"

Happy stands back up, and answers. "2:00. We should leave around 1:00, just in case"

She walks back to her bench, to eat her bagels. And Toby nods, while taking a bite out of his.

Walter calls Sage, Ralph, and Aidan over to his desk. "Come here. I have something for you to do". He says, struggling to stand up from his chair momentarily.

Sage runs over to help him up, so he doesn't fall on his face. As much as she would love to see that, it probably wouldn't be very good for his arm. Leaving him useless for probably another week.

He is carrying three packets, each containing at least 20 pages front and back.

"This is a test. I would like you to complete it. And put the time you finish the question beside the number to help make it more accurate." He says, handing one to Sage, Ralph, then Aidan.

Sage scans through the pages and groan. "Walt, we're going back to school in like two weeks, why do we have to do this"

Aidan scrunched his nose beside her, flipping through the pages himself.

Walter sits back down in his chair. "It is a 1000 question IQ test. It is the most accurate in the world. Testing your IQ level, and your EQ level at the same time. And also to determine what each of your proficiency's are. While covering all known practices, and studies. So begin," he says, shooing them from his desk, "and under no circumstances is there to be any cheating" he eyes Toby from across the garage.

"Wat?" Toby yells at him, through a mouthful of bread.

The trio split up, and go their separate ways to complete their test.

Ralph is the first to finish about an hour later, and he turns it into Walter. Only to receive another packet, just as large as the previous one.

Ralph's eyes widen, as he sees the new packet of paper in his hands. He groans, and walks back to his spot at the kitchen table, and getting back to work.

Paige rubs his head, "can I get you something to drink sweetie" she asks.

Ralph shakes his head, and she sighs, sitting back down at her desk, and filling out her case report for their last case.

Toby goes to sit on the couch, next to Sage, and glances over her shoulder at the test. He can hear Walter growl under his breath from his desk next to the couch. Warning him not too try anything stupid.

"Toby, I don't need you messing with the results of this experiment"

Toby throws his hands up in surrender, and watches Sage, as she zones in on the last page of the test, and the pencil in her hand flying across the page as she fills in answer after answer, showing her work as it was needed.

Sage has her feet up and braced against the coffee table in front of her, while hunching over the papers in her lap, and chewing on the end of the pencil, trying to figure out a very complicated question.

He glances over at Aidan, and can see his whole body twitching as he works on the sheets.

He gets up and marches to Walter's desk, which is only a few feet away from where he was sitting.

"Walter, you need to stop this, the kids are obviously going to far down the rabbit hole. You should've known this would happen" Toby growls, gesturing to each of the young geniuses.

"Yes, I know. That's why I split up the test into 5 sections. Ralph is about to finish the second section. And in order to continue, he must eat a snack, have a drink, and do something else for at least 10 minutes. I made sure to prevent them going too far down, where they can't get out again. I've made this test perfectly safe, and none of them should be taking a trip too far down," Walter says.

Paige storms over to Walter's desk, overhearing their conversation, standing right next to Toby with her arms crossed.

She points over at her son. "So you're telling me that my son is down the rabbit hole right now" Paige yells, in a threatening voice, drawing the attention of everyone in the garage, except for the busy young geniuses.

Walter smiles nervously up at his significant other. "Not right now he isn't. I split it up just enough, to prevent it from happening"

Paige turns over to Toby. "Are you going to let Sage continue this"

Toby stutters a bit, "well I-I think so. Walt's making a little sense. I'm pretty sure Sage should be alright. Besides she's going to have to do it at some point to determine her IQ level." he says, nodding to Sage.

Paige sighs, and closes her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, before opening them again.

She pats Toby's shoulder, and had trouble believing what she was going to say next. "Ok, I trust your...parenting instincts." She walks back to her desk, shooting a couple worried glances at her son every once in a while.

Toby leans against Walter's desk. "Walt, me and Hap have to leave for a couple hours"

Walter looks up at him. "What for?"

"It's personal Walt. I can't give you all the details" Toby says.

Walter sighs, and frowns "this better be serious. I better not find out that you two used the time to fool around"

Toby sighs again, "do you really think I would leave Sage here with you guys, while she's halfway down the rabbit hole, just to go fool around with Happy?"

Walter shakes his head in defeat, "fine, you can go. But I would advise keeping your phone on, while your away. So I can contact either of you if I need to"

"Sure thing Walt" Toby says, hitting Walter's desk a few times with his index finger, and walking back over to the couch.

He sits down, and places his hand on Sage's back. He can feel her whole body flinch and twitch at the contact, as she concentrates on the task in front of her.

She was working on a very complicated math equation set in front of her. Doing most of the math in her head, and writing the rest off to the side, and following all the long complicated steps.

"Hey Bug, me and Happy are going to leave soon. You're going to stay here with the team. We'll be back later. Okay" he kisses the side of her head. While she continues to write down numbers, and fill out answers.

He sighs and stands up from his seat on the couch.

Around the time he's walking away, Sage jumps up from the couch, and runs over to Walter's desk, handing him the pile of papers.

He takes it, and hands her the next packet, and she runs back to her spot, and gets started on that one, without any acknowledgement to Toby or anyone else in the room.

When Aidan stands up only a few moments later, Sylvester watches nervously as he marches up to Walter desk to turn his pile in, and bring back his new packet of work.

While Aidan is doing that, Toby helps Happy clean up her things just a little, before they leave for the doctors.

"Did you tell Walt anything?" Happy asks, looking over at Walter, entering the answers from the tests into the computer program he created, to calculate their IQ level.

"No. Just told him it was something personal, and he seemed to be okay with it for the most part." Toby glances over Happy's shoulder, at Ray playing the giant Jenga game by himself, that Happy had made for the kids.

"Okay." Happy let's out a long sigh, bracing herself against her desk, and bowing her head.

Toby put a hand on her back, and wrapped a hand around her arm. "You okay, sweetpea?"

Happy bats his hands away, and stands up straight. "I'm fine, idiot"

Toby frowns, and grabs her hand. "Happy it's totally normal to be nervous about things like this. It you weren't, then we should be concerned" Toby says, trying to cheer her up.

"It's not that, it's just-," she pauses, trying to think of how to word her thoughts so they aren't so muddled like they are in her mind. "What if we find out that having a baby is fatal for me. Just like my mom. She died while giving birth to me. I don't want you to have to go through that. And I want to watch my baby grow up" she whispers, while Toby hugs her, and rests his chin on her head.

He knows that soon she's going to start crying, because he's known the Happy with hormones for about two months now. And he can tell when she's either going to lash out, or start sobbing for no reason whatsoever.

But this is a reason for her to be crying, which means the water works are probably going to start any time now, all he knows is that she doesn't want the team to see her crying, especially Paige, who would immediately think something is up, and probably guess what was going on before she should.

He can see Paige watching them with uncertain eyes, while Happy burrows her face in his chest.

Toby takes her bag, and leads her outside, and to the car, while Happy continues to cry in his shirt. Away from the teams prying eyes.

He holds her at arms length when they get outside, and watches the tears fall one by one down her face.

He rubs them away with his thumb, while he cups her face, and gives her a sweet kiss. "Happy. It's okay, everything is going to be okay. Our baby is healthy, you're healthy. And everything is going to turn out perfect. I promise" Toby says, making her look him in the eyes, by lifting her chin.

"I promise"

At the hospital 1 hour later…

Happy is laying on the bed, waiting for the doctor to come back, with any information they might need. And Toby is sitting right beside her, holding her hand the whole time.

The doctor comes in with a clipboard, with a big smile. Which has to mean that it's good news. Unless she's like this crazy psychopath that lives off of other people's pain, which she probably isn't, judging by how kind and patient she's been with them so far.

"Everything's going great, just as it should be" she says, looking over at a now, very relaxed Happy.

She smiles some more, before pulling over a machine. "Would you like to have your first ultrasound" she asks, acting almost as excited as any other normal mother would be.

Happy nods, and puts her free hand to her mouth, and tries super hard not to cry in front of the doctor.

Toby smiles, and rubs his thumb over the back of her hand repeatedly, while watching as the doctor sets up the equipment.  
Happy lifts up her shirt, exposing her small bump, and giving the doctor access, to wipe all that gunk al over her.

She rubs the cold sticky substance on, and runs the wand over where the baby should be positioned at this point in the pregnancy.

The black screen starts showing a little picture of the inside of Happy's stomach, and the doctor points to the spot where the baby is growing, with a huge grin.

Toby let's go of Happy's hand for a second, and steps closer to the screen. "I-is that?" He points to the two small specks on the screen, with a shaky hand, and wide eyes.

The doctor grins even wider. "Yes Dr. Curtis, those are your children"

At the garage right after they left…

All three of the young geniuses have finished the second portion of their five part test. And Walter instructs that in order to move on they must, eat, drink, and rest.

After hearing the announcement, they almost trample over each other to get to the kitchen, to make and eat the quickest snack possible, to get back to their little project.

Paige walked over to Walter's desk, as the kids climb over each other to get what they need out of the fridge. "Why are they acting so competitive. It's not a win or loose type thing is it?" She asks, sitting on the arm of Walter's chair, and facing the kitchen.

"No, they just want to get back to the questions. It's sort of like an addiction-" Sylvester chimes in.

"When you go down the rabbit hole, and someone pulls you back out, and your deprived of math, or a book, or a project that you got lost in in the first place. You can't get it out of your head until you're done, or you break the addiction. Which usually never happens. So all you can ever think about is that one thing, and it gets very stressful and aggravating".

Paige seemed to be picking up on what he was saying. "So they are getting things done as quickly as possible, to finish the test. I understand." Paige says, sitting on the edge of Walters desk, watching the kids in the kitchen as they inhale their food.

Sylvester nods, and turns back to his computer.

When the kids are done devouring their sandwiches and drinks, they run around to the back of the garage, to play Jenga with Ray.

Ray looses. But what do you expect from playing with a bunch of geniuses, even if they are kids.

As soon as the tower tumbles on top of Ray, they run off back towards Walter's desk, for section 3.

Once each of them have their portions they begin working immediately, back in their seats from earlier.

Ray stumbles from around the corner. A little dazed from all the bricks falling on top of him. He eventually makes his way to Walter's desk. Looking to each of the kids, and watching them as they rush to complete their test.

"What's going on Wally? Why are they in such a rush?" Ray asks.

"There taking an IQ test" Walter simply answers, while recording their answers and times into his computer again.

"Oh. Cool," Ray says. He looks back over at Sage hunched over on the couch. "When are they going to do the physical part. I can help with that"

Walter looks up from his work, and gives a quizzical expression.

"What are you talking about?"

It's Ray's turn to give a quizzical look back at Walter, "you know. The physical part of the test. Like...sports"

Walter's eyebrow raised, and frowned, "Ray. There isn't a 'sports' part to the IQ test"

"Oh. Well I must be thinking of something else. But you should still do a physical test. Cause it's fun and stuff" Ray says, shrugging his shoulder.

Sylvester speaks up from his desk. "Ray has a point. To be good at athletics you should be good at math. That is, if you've never done it before, or it doesn't come naturally" he shrinks back into his chair, while whispering the last few words of his statement to himself.

Walter turns his head from Sylvester's desk, and looks over at Sage, and then at her skateboard, propped up against the stairs to the loft.

He stands from his desk, in a hurry. "You're right. That's how Sage's brain works. And in order to test her intelligence to the fullest, her brain needs to be functioning the way it's made to"

Paige looks up at him, while he struggles to make it to the staircase behind her desk.

The younger geniuses are too engrossed in their activity to pay any attention to Walter's tangent.

"Sage would be the only one physically capable of doing this though." He taps at his chin, while examining her skateboard.

He stumbles back to his desk.

"Ray, we need some ideas. Me and Sylvester will determine if they are appropriate or physically possible" Walter says, nodding his head to Ray.

Ray rubs his hands together in excitement, while listing some sports like activities, while Walter and Sylvester work together to jot down the ones using any type of science or mathematics.

Ray talks for a good half hour. And Sylvester and Walter work for a whole hour, droning out what Ray is saying, because it has nothing to do with what they are working on whatsoever. While the kids are completing there last assessment.

Ralph turns his in to Walter, followed by Sage and Aidan, and they are all finally able to relax.

He hands the tests to Sylvester for him to grade and record onto Walter's laptop, while he continues on to what he had planned.

Walter calls for Ray and leads them all to the back of the garage. Instructing Ralph and Aidan to sit down in two folding chairs set up for them.

"This is the final part of the test, that only Sage will be participating in." Walter announces to the two, while holding Sage by the shoulder beside him.

Paige gets up from her desk, to see what ridiculous contraption is going on in the back of the garage.

She stands by the two seated geniuses, and waits for Walter to continue, as Ray prepared for the first activity.

"We may have to wait for Cabe to come in order to complete some of the activities, but we can work on the ones that do not require his assistance." He turns to face Ray at the other end of the garage.

He was wearing a hockey mask, and holding a baseball glove, crouching in front of a wall in the garage, and punching his fist into the glove, with a grin.

Walter hands a confused Sage a ball, then steps back to stand with Paige. And she stands there. Looking at the ball in her hand, and then up at Ray, waiting for her to throw the ball.

Walter nods his head, "go ahead"

She creases her eyebrows in frustration, and turns so her side is facing Ray.

She takes in a couple shaky breaths, before preparing her arm to throw the ball.

Ray was a good 50 feet away. Far enough for Sage to be a bit nervous of failure.

"The point of this exercise is to apply physics and basic mathematics, to sports. And I have a suspicion that this is one of your proficiencies" Walter says, calming her nerves a bit. Helping her understand what was going on a bit more.

She knew how to do it with math, it made it 100 times easier than just throwing the ball, and hoping it lands somewhere in the general vicinity of Ray's glove. She smirked, and lifted her leg in a pitchers stance.

It happened in an instant. Her elbow bent, and her arm moved forward, letting go of the ball at the exact time she should.

Making a loud snap in Rays glove, as he caught it.

"Oeweweo" he wails, holding his hand, and dropping the ball he had caught.

Sage winced, and mouths a 'sorry' while Ray tried to shake the feeling back into his hand.

Paige was stunned, and she started to clap. "Sage. You are the first genius I have met that has the ability to throw a ball like that. It went right in his glove. Do you know how long and how much practice it takes to do that?"

Sage nods, and turns towards Walter for his approval. "Good, but that's not it. That was just testing your bodies ability to perform such tasks"

Sage nods in understanding, while Walter sloppily tosses her another ball.

Ray gets back in position reluctantly. Adjusting the hard mask protecting his face.

Sage tosses the ball up and down in her hand, while waiting for Walter's instructions.

"Okay. This time, hit the ground at a perfect 35 degree angle, and have it bounce directly into Ray's glove."

Paige flips her head to look over at him. "Is that even possible"

Sylvester overhears from his desk, and answers, while getting up from his seat, and meeting with the rest of them at the back.

"It is close to impossible to do it on purpose, without using math. But considering Sage's talents, she should be able to do it easily" he says, folding his arms, and standing next to Paige to watch.

Sage smirks, and tosses the ball up a few times, while sweeping her eyes over the ground, because she's sure she can do this.

"Kay" she winds up her arm, and throws. It bounces about 10 feet away from where Ray is crouched on the ground, and hits his glove with another loud SNAP.

Sage grins, and Walter nods with his own smirk, and writing down the results on his notepad, even though he can remember everything exactly the way it happened, he wants things on the record, just in case something was to happen.

Ray shakes out his hand again, and throws the ball back to Sage.

Walter looks up from his notepad, and nods at Sage.

"This one is more difficult. You need to throw it at exactly 55 miles per hour, while hitting that back wall, 3 feet above the ground, and then bouncing off that box, and into the glove." He points to each obstacle while he explains the instructions.

Paige looks even more surprised, "Walter! That's like asking her to throw the ball with her eyes closed and spinning in a circle, and expecting her to hit the target exactly"

Sylvester decides to chime in then. "Actually she has a better chance at completing that task than this one"

Sage scrunched up her nose. "I don't know" she squeezes the ball in her hand, and runs the numbers through her head. The odds are definitely not in her favor this time. "Ive never tried doing any trick shots"

Sylvester nods in agreement, "it is pretty much trick shoting, which pretty much all depends on luck. But not when you have this…" he taps the side of his head.

"And besides this is just a test to determine the limits of your abilities. None of us expect you to do it perfectly, there is no need to be nervous of the outcome" Water says.

Sage nods, releasing a nervous breath, and staring at the spot on the wall, behind Ray, that Walter had instructed on her to hit.

As soon as she starts her wind up, Paige's phone rings. Throwing her aim off, and causing the ball to fly off across the garage like a crazed squirrel, in the opposite direction.

Paige gives an apologetic smile, and runs to her desk to get her obnoxious phone.

"That doesn't count, because there was a distraction" Sage says, pointing a threatening finger at Walter.

Walter nods in understanding, "I know, I will not be counting your messups that include distracting circumstances"

Sage nods, while Ralph tosses her another ball from his seat.

She winds up her arm again. Ready to throw the ball, just the way Walter instructed. Sylvester chews at his lip nervously, while Aidan and Ralph bounce in their seat, waiting for her to make her throw.

As soon as her fingers loose contact with the ball, she grins, because she knows it is flying in the direction exactly where it is supposed to hit.

A big 'CLANG' echoes through the garage as the ball bounces off the metal wall of the garage, exactly three feet above the ground, and it starts flying towards the wooden box, not to far in front of it.

Everyone watches the ball fly, with wide eyes. Even Ray, who can barely see through his mask.

It hits the box at an angle, with a 'THUD', and flies towards Ray. He closes his eyes hard, and turns his head away, while sticking out his hand to catch the ball.

Sage yells in triumph, pumping her fists in the air, and high fiving Ralph, and a giddy Aidan. Walter's grinning, while writing down the results. And Sylvester's clapping excitedly. "When Toby and Happy get back, you have to show them that. They will be amazed"

Walter nods in agreement, and looking up. "Yes, that was very impressive. Your only flaw was your speed. It hit 45, which is still very good" he says.

Paige comes back around the corner, with her phone in her hand, and a flushed face. "You missed it Aunt Paige, I just threw the coolest fastball in history" Sage gloated, bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly.

Paige nods, putting on a fake smile, and pulling Walter by the elbow, and away from the celebrating group of geniuses.

When their alone, and she knows that the others can't hear what she's about to say, she speaks in a low and soft voice, "Walter, that was Cabe. Colby's awake"

With Toby and Happy…

"Wait!, you're saying that I'm lugging around two babies right now!" Happy yells, while Toby stares at the screen sitting on the other side of the bed.

The doctor nods slowly, unsure of how to react to Happy's outburst. "yes Ms. Quinn. We are almost 100% sure that you are going to be having twins"

Happy grips Toby's hand, that was resting on her thigh. She can hear him whisper, "That's why you started showing so early"

The doctor leans closer to him, "I'm sorry, what was that Dr. Curtis".

Toby shakes his head, to get his mind in order. "She started showing early, see," he lifts up her shirt a little more, to expose her pretty much flat, and barely rounded belly, "and she hasn't even hit 12 weeks yet"

The Doctor runs her hand up Happy's stomach, and it takes all of Happy's willpower not to punch her in the face for invading her personal space.

"You're right. She is developing earlier than average," she pauses for a moment, "have you ever been pregnant before Ms. Quinn?" She removes her hand from Happy's stomach, and spins in her chair to grab her clipboard of information.

"No" she says, gripping Toby's hand like it is her lifeline. Toby on the other hand, is paying absolutely no attention to what's going on around him, because he's concentrating on not screaming in pain, or crying, from Happy's death grip.

He's biting his lip, bouncing his leg, squirming. Anything to keep the pain somewhat at bay. He needs practice on dealing with the hand squeezing. He's heard that that's the worst part of the pregnancy for the man. Depending on how strong the significant other is. And Happy is a lo stronger than average.

The Doctor turns to see Toby scrunching his face, and biting on hard on his knuckles, he would definitely leave marks. "Are you okay Dr. Curtis. You seem like you're in pain"

Happy looks over at him too, while he tries to wave it off, and releases his other hand from his jaw, and starts bouncing his leg instead. Happy gives him a weird look, while he gives her a sheepish smile.

She glances at their hands, and notices her strong grip on Toby's poor hand. She immediately lets go, and she can see Toby let out a sigh of relief. "Sorry Doc, just kind of nervous" she says.

He shakes his head, "Its okay Hap, I'm nervous too. I understand" he reaches out to grab her hand this time, with his hand that has endured less pain, stroking the back of it with his thumb.

The Doctor notices their discomfort, and she tries her best to comfort them. "Everything will go just fine. Its just as safe and easy as having on baby" she says.

Happy nods, and closes her eyes. Taking in deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart.

Toby notices this, and stands up from his chair, and moving closer to Happy, laying on the bed.

"Could you give us a minute Doctor?" he asks, as politely as he could.

"Of course" she says, gathering her things in a hurry, and rushing out the door, to give the pair some more privacy.

When she's gone, Toby starts to speak. "Hey Hap, how are you feeling about all of this" he asks. Taking her hand, and leaning down towards her face, to place a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm just…really surprised. We barely have the room for one baby, definitely not two" she says, opening her eyes, and leaning her head back, to look at Toby's face.

He uses his free hand to push some loose curls behind her ear. "Are you having second thoughts, because it you are, then we don't have to do this" he says, pulling his chair closer to him, so he can sit down next to her top half.

"No! I don't care what anyone says, we are going to keep both of them. Even if we feel that we aren't ready. They are still our babies, and we are not going to give up on either of them. No matter how difficult. I don't want them to grow up wondering if their parents ever really loved them, or not even growing up at all," she says, closing her eyes again to suppress the tears that were threatening to fall.

Toby lifts her hand to his lips, and presses a long soft kiss to the back of her knuckles, as she spoke "I couldn't have said it better myself, Hap. I don't want to give up on them either…and I think Sage would personally kill us if she ever found out" Toby jokes, trying to lighten her mood.

Happy smiles at him. "Get your lazy butt over here and give me a real kiss"

Toby grins, and does as he's instructed. He gives her a toe-curling kiss, and when they separate, he brings her hand to his lips again, and presses another kiss to her small fingers.

"God I love you" he whispers, kissing her forehead again, and closing his eyes, while taking in several long breaths.

"You seem…a little touchy. Everything okay?" Happy ask, when he sits back down in his seat

"Yeah. Still just processing everything" he says leaning back in his chair, and running his free hand through his hair. "I'm still just in awe that we are actually doing this" he says.

Happy smiles again. "I know, me too. I never pictured myself as a mother, but now I can't stop thinking about it"

Toby nods in agreement, "I never really thought I would be a good dad, mostly because of the way I was raised. I was always scared that I would end up like my dad, but after I found out about Sage, and these two," he rubs his hand over Happy's exposed belly, "I couldn't imagine myself being anything different"

Happy smiles over at him, and swings her legs over the bed, so she's sitting up on the edge, and they just sit in a comfortable silence for a while, while Toby plays with her boots reseting in his lap.

"When should we tell everyone?" he asks.

This was something they hadn't discussed much, mostly because of the chaos going on around them, and because there hasn't been a good opportunity to tell any of them. They haven't even been able to discuss anything about the baby, or even start preparing for its arrival.

"I don't know. But I want Sage to be the first to know. I want to make sure she understands what's going on, and what's going to happen, instead of just announcing it to everyone at the same time" Happy says,

"Do you think she's going to think that we're replacing her with the baby…or babies" Toby says.

Happy sighs, while tapping out a rhythm Toby's leg with her feet. "I know she is. Once you have that distrust built inside you, it never really goes away. Even though she trusts us now, I don't think she will be able to not think about those types of things. I know from experience" Happy sighs, resting her chin in the palm of her hand, that's propped on her knee.

Toby nods his head in understanding, and is about to say something more, then is interrupted by the doctor walking back into the room.

The two turn to look at her. "Do you need some more time?"

Toby looks at Happy, and she shakes her head. "No, I think were good for now"

The Doctor smiles, "Good, because we still have several things to go over," she sits back down on her rolly chair, and rolls towards the computer sitting on a desk, by the door.

"Last time you were here, we only had a short checkup, since you were still just at the very beginning of the pregnancy, and were apparently in a very big hurry. So there wasn't much we could do. But now we get to go over the big stuff, like family history, and how to take care of yourself and the baby while you are pregnant" She starts typing on the computer, while asking a bunch of personal questions.

Toby goes first. Talking about his family health history, and purposefully avoiding any questions about his childhood. The most personal thing he tells her, is about Sage. They were stuck on that topic for several minutes, while the Doctor asked several questions about Sage's health and personality. Toby didn't say anything about her previous life, to keep Sage's and his own privacy safe. Which the Doctor kindly respected.

Next it was Happy's turn to talk about personal stuff. But before she could answer the first question the doctor gave her, Toby's phone started buzzing.

He looked at the caller ID, and saw it was Paige. "Its Paige"

Happy and the Doctor nod, while he answers the call. "Hey Paige, how are things going over there?"

Instead of a nice, kind greeting, he gets a loud and panicked voice yelling in his ear. "Toby where are you two. You need to get to the hospital" Paige yells into the phone.

Toby panics. His eyes go wide, and he turns to look at Happy. "Is everyone okay? Did one of the kids hurt themselves? Because if it was Sage I swe-" Paige interrupts him, before he starts to freak out too much.

"No everyone is fine. We just got a call from Cabe, and he said that Colby just woke up. We're all on our way right now" Paige says, and Toby can hear horns honking in the background.

"Okay, we'll be there before you guys. If not, just make sure Sage doesn't know until the very last minute" Toby says into the phone, "you don't want her running off as soon as you park the car"

"Okay. But where are you two?" she asks impatiently.

Toby smirks before answering, "That, is confidential information," then hangs up the phone, and stuffs it back in his pocket.

He turns to look at both Happy and the very patient doctor.

Happy looks impatient, with her arms crossed, as she sits in her chair. "Well…What's going on Doc?" Happy asks.

Toby tries his best not to look too excited. "Paige just got a call from Cabe, apparently Colby just woke up not too long ago"

Happy jumps from her seat on the bed, and throws her hands up to her mouth, to cover it in surprise. "Really?" she asks.

Toby smiles and nods his head. "Yep. I don't know all the details, but that's what I heard"

He pulls Happy towards him, and wraps her in a comforting hug. She starts whispering, while she leans her head against Toby's chest. "Sage is going to be so happy"

"She sure is Hap. This is absolutely amazing news" Toby whispers into her hair, while placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

Neither of them noticed the doctor standing there awkwardly, while the two of them hug in the middle of the room.

Toby looks up, at her. "Do you mind if we come back here in like an hour. Our daughters best friend just woke up from a coma. We will still be in the building, just in another room" Toby asks.

"Of course. You come back whenever you have time. But please come back some time today, we still need to answer a few questions, they are very important".

Toby tips his hat, "Sure thing, we'll be back soon" he says, with his other arm wrapped around Happy's shoulder.

The pair walk out the room, and to the front desk, to sign in as guests visiting Colby. They see Cabe sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room, holding his head up with his hands, and his eyes closed.

Toby comes up beside him, and slaps him on the back, "How's Colby doing Pops" he ask, startling Cabe, just enough to make him jump in his seat,

Cabe looks up at the two of them, with a smile. "Its good you guys are here so quick, Colby's been asking for nobody but Sage or Ralph. He's been threatening the doctors for the past 15 minutes" Cabe says, standing up, and looking around them for the rest of the team.

"Where's the rest of the team" he asks.

"We just got a call from Paige, we were away from the garage, and so we rushed here" Toby fibs, "Sage is with them"

Cabe sighs, and nods his head, "I was chased out the room earlier, because of all the chaos, maybe he'll talk to one of you" he says.

Happy nods, and Toby agrees, while Cabe walks them back to the room they had moved Colby to after he woke up.

They opened the door slowly, and cautiously. Toby went in first, and peeked around the curtain to where Colby was laying.

The doctors had given him some type of sedative, to calm him down.

Happy and Cabe follow him in, and pick a chair to sit in beside the bed, while Toby talks with Colby.

"So, how you doing kid?" he asks, taking the clipboard from the nurse standing at the foot of the bed.

She tries to take it back, but Toby stops her, by putting out his hand. "Its okay, I am a doctor, and this is my daughters best friend, I think I can take it from here"

The nurse doesn't say anything, but she huffs in annoyance, and stands in the corner to give them space.

The only answer Colby could give to any of his questions, was a glare, and a "where's Sage"

Toby answers many times. "Sage is fine, she's going to be here really soon".

Despite all the times Toby answers the same questions, Colby keeps asking. Most likely because of the drugs the doctors had put him on.

They don't even have to wait that long. Soon they hear loud running footsteps outside the door, and Toby smiles, because he knows exactly who it is. "She's here" he whispers to Colby, still standing at the foot of the bed.

Sage throws open the door, a little red in the face, and stares at the bed Colby is laying on, "Colby!"

 **So what do you guys think about all this stuff.**

 **I wasn't 100% sure about the twins, but i did come up with a very interesting story line that they could be apart of, but its up to you. I know that for some people it's an unpopular opinion for a couple to have twins becuase its to much of a hastle, but i think this would work out better with two babies instead of one. Mostly since i see a lot of fics about Quintis having one baby, but ive never read a multichapter fic, with them having twins, and i want to try something new. So just tell me what you guys think, and Ill work something out.**

 **I noticed that you guys are also very interested in Sage's reaction to the baby, and i have that all planned out, but i dont know how i want her to find out. So just leave me some ideas that you would like to see.**

 **And one last thing. I would like to know what you would like to see more of. Character development, Relationships and interactions between different characters, even a small little theme for a chapter. I dont mind, its jus really hard to come up with original ideas sometimes.**

 **Sorry for the late update, just been a little busy lately, with al this Scorpiono drama, plus school drama. It takes up a lot of my time. I plan on upating again, so dont worry.**


	34. Toby's family

Chapter 34

Sage ran into the room, and right next to Colby's bed as soon as she stepped into the room. Grabbing his hand, while he gave a small, reassuring, but weak smile.

Happy and Toby smile while watching the interaction, and Cabe gives a tired grin.

Ralph comes running in next a few seconds later, out of breath, and his face a bit red from the strain on his lungs and legs.

Toby looks over at him, leaning against the doorway for a minute, to catch his breath.

"Hey Ralph, where's your mom and Walt?" He asks, taking a step closer to the door, to peer around the corner.

Aidan was running down the hallway, dodging doctors and nurses, while they carried unsteady trays, and yelling at him to stop running. While Ray chases after him calling his name, to try and get him to slow down.

Sylvester isn't too far behind, but still very behind. His loud breaths and gasps for air, could almost be heard by Toby at the other end of the hall.

They're a few feet from the doorway, when Toby sees Paige and Walter emerge from around the corner. Paige was helping Walter walk, and trying to support his weight, while he leaned on her shoulder, and clumsily walks down the halls.

Toby let Ralph, Ray and Aidan inside the room. While he rushed down the hall, past Sylvester, to help Paige with Walter.

She shrugged Walter off onto Toby, and gave him a grateful, tired, smile, before running off after the kids. To most likely scold them for being that disruptive and careless in a hospital.

"How're you feeling Walt. You look like you're in more pain than usual" Toby says, noting the winces every time Walter steps on his injured foot. It's a bit more than he should be feeling in this stage of his recovery.

"I'm fine. I just hit it wrong while Paige drove us all here. I have more of a chance injuring myself in that can, than I do in anyone else's car." Walter says, putting more of his weight on Toby, and grunting from the pain.

"How's Colby doing?" He asks when they're a few feet from the door, and after a few moments of awkward silence.

Something he wasn't used to when being around Toby. He would usually talk his ears off, and make Walter want to stab him right then and there. But he seemed a bit distracted and out of it.

"He looks like he's doing just fine, to me" Toby says, grunting while trying to open the door to the room with one arm, and holding up Walter with the other.

When they step inside, things are a lot more chaotic than when he left.

Not a loud or obnoxious chaotic, but more of a quiet and emotional chaotic.

Colby's passed out on the bed, with his mouth wide open, from all the drugs the doctors gave him to calm him down. Sage is hugging Ralph, and hiding her face in his jacket, and where she can't see Colby laying on the bed. Blocking herself from her fears, and reality. Ralph has his arms wrapped around her, and looks worriedly at the cot, then behind him at his mother.

Happy and Cabe are sitting in the same spot, while Sylvester plays with his hands nervously.

Ray is confused, along with Aidan, who doesn't seem to understand what all the sadness is about. And Paige is trying her hardest not to cry, while looking between Colby, and her son comforting Sage.

Toby helps Walter to an empty chair, and helps him sit down. Once that's done, he walks up to the side of the bed, to check on Colby's vitals. He reads the machines, and his IV bag, repeatedly, to make sure he doesn't miss anything.

The nurse is still standing in the computer, typing into her computer. Ignoring the drama occurring just a few feet away.

Toby looks through the clipboard of notes again, and looks over at Sage and Ralph.

"Don't worry guys. He's just out because of some medicine the doctors gave him to calm him down" Toby says, petting Sage's hair, and then combing his fingers through Ralph's hair.

Sage turns her head further away from Toby, so that the back of her head is facing him, and her other cheek is resting on Ralph's chest.

Toby sighs, and stands up a bit straighter, and walks over to the nurse to discuss some things.

They talk in hushed whispers that nobody in the room can quite understand, and they probably wouldn't be able to understand even if they could hear them.

Sage watches them converse, while Ralph rubs her back for comfort.

When Toby's done, he walks back over to the group to make another announcement.

Sage looks up at him expectantly, and he looks down at her with an excited smile, which eases her nerves.

She lets go of Ralph, and takes a step closer to Toby.

"Colby is going to be allowed to go home tomorrow. They still have to do a couple more tests, but that's it" Toby says with a smile.

Sage jumps a little in excitement, and hugs Toby around the waist, for barely a second, before running back to Ralph and giving him a monster hug around the neck. Not considering the fact that she was about to choke him.

Everyone has a smile on their face, and Happy stands up from her seat to stand next to Toby, who takes her hand, and gives her a happy grin.

Paige hugs Ray, since he's the closest human near her, and she needs to celebrate after hearing that good news. And Sly claps his hands in excitement, and so does Aidan after he watches him do it.

Cabe stands from his chair, and claps Walter on the back, helping him stand up, to celebrate with the rest of the team.

Sage pauses for a moment, and looks around at everyone, with a confused look.

"Wait. Who is Colby going to stay with. He doesn't have any parents" she asks, looking up at Toby.

Cabe looks over at him too. "You didn't tell her?"

Toby shakes his head, "I didn't want to get her hopes up, just in case" he says, looking between him and Colby.

Sage looks between the two in confusion. Which soon turns to anger and frustration. She really didn't like being kept in the dark about things.

Before she can get too worked up, Toby tells her what's going on. "When Cabe came to the hospital to check up on Colby the first night, the doctors weren't willing or able to operate on him, because his foster parents didn't provide him with health insurance to cover the expenses for the operations. So Cabe had to adopt him, so he could pay for his expenses, and save him" he says.

Sage looks over at Cabe, a bit teary-eyed, before looking back at Toby. "So Colby's gonna be staying with us from now on"

"Looks that way kiddo" Cabe says, with smile and a nod.

Sage's eyes tear up some more, and she runs over to give Cabe a big hug. She wraps her arms around him tightly, and whispers a 'thankyou'

She's been finding herself doing that a lot lately.

Cabe pets her head, with one arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him.. "No problem kiddo. Gotta protect are own, right?"

"Right," Sage let's go, and smiles up at him. "Colby's going to be so excited. He's never had a real family before"

Happy smiles, and pulls Sage towards her, and into her side. Kissing the top of her head.

Sage grins and looks up at her, and leans against her arm, while looking at Colby's bed.

"Wait, wait, wait! I've been gone for not even a year, and you guys are already adopting kids right left and center. It's like I missed everything" Ray complains, looking and gesturing between the three newest members of team Scorpion.

Sage smirks at him. "Well you better stick around this time"

1 week later...

It's official. She's officially Sage Ava Curtis. And her parents are Dr. Tobias M. Curtis, and Happy Quinn. She could never be happier.

When the documents are signed and officialized, she lets out a small squeal, while bouncing in her seat, and gives both her parents a hug, before running out the office to greet the rest of her family, waiting outside.

Toby can't stop grinning as he stands from his seat, and shakes the mans hand, that sat behind the desk. "Thankyou for being so patient. You don't know how much it means to all of us"

The older man just smiles, and shakes his, and Happy's hand, and fixing the glasses that were falling down his face.

"I understand. This is probably the only thing that gives me happiness in life." He says, with a toothy grin.

Toby smiles back, and pulls his bag over his shoulder, and following Happy and Sage out the door.

Sage of course makes it out first, while the rest of Team Scorpion sits on benches outside the door.

"It's official guys! Look! She says, waving the paper in their faces, and wrapping her arms around Colby's neck, as he spins her around in celebration.

He sets her on her feet, and holds her by her shoulders, with the biggest grin on his face, while she holds up the paper. "You're a Curtis now" he says, pulling her into another hug.

No one notices the way Ralph grinds his teeth behind the fake smile. Or the way his jaw and shoulders tighten when he sees Sage's reaction. So no one acknowledges it.

Aidan joins in the hug, wrapping his arms around both of them, and mumblings something they can't quite comprehend.

"Group hug!" Sylvester shouts, running up, standing over Aidan, and wrapping his arms around all of them.

Cabe rolls his eyes, and joins the hug, with a goofy grin.

Soon followed by Ralph, Paige, and Walter, who seemed a little reluctant to join.

Toby and Happy walk out, with one of Toby's arm thrown around Happy's shoulder.

They see the big hug, going on in the middle of the hallway. With a giggling Sage pressed in the middle.

Paige calls them over. "Come on guys. This involves you too"

Toby grins, and doesn't hesitate, to wrap his arms around everyone, but Happy rolls her eyes just like Cabe, and grins, before hugging all of them too.

People passing by, give them a few weird looks, but they don't care at all. There too happy to care right now.

They all break from the hug, giving Sage a little room to breathe, but Toby doesn't move away. He picks her up, and wraps his arms around her back, to support her in his arms.

She giggles, and he kisses her nose, before shifting her onto his hip, and pumping his fist in the air.

A few more years and he won't be able to do this. So he needs to enjoy it while he can.

Sage laughs, and wraps her arms around his neck, and gives him a kiss on the cheek, while Paige snaps a picture.

Sage turns her head in his arms, and reaches out her arm for Happy. "Come on mum. We need you in the picture too" she says, waving her towards them.

Happy tried to decline, but Toby doesn't let her. He grabs her by the hand, and pulls her towards them, keeping his firm hold on Sage, and wrapping his other arm around Happy's waist.

He gives her a quick kiss, and she scrunched up her nose. "What'd I say about doing that in public" she mumbles.

Toby chuckles, and kisses her nose. "To not to. But this is a special occasion so those rules don't apply"

"You think you're so smart don't you?" She smirks, pushing at his chest, so he would loosen his grip. But he doesn't.

Paige makes them take several ridiculous pictures, promising for the photo shoot to continue back at the garage, which they are already dreading.

"Let's go. We still need to finish all that school shopping," Walter grimaced at the words he spoke, "the sooner we leave, the sooner we can be done"

Cabe frowned, and put his hand on Colby's shoulder. "We haven't even started for this one, yet"

Colby chuckles under his breath, and follows Walter, leading them out the courthouse.

Toby carries Sage near the back of the group. Whispering her things, that make her burst into fits of giggles.

At the entrance, they all stop, when they hear a loud, high-pitched voice call out. "Sage! OMG! Is that you!"

Sage's eyes widen, and she hits at Toby to let her down, and quick.

He struggles to put her down without dropping her, from all her wiggling and hitting.

He notices the girl calling out for Sage right away. It was the one that was swooning over him the first day he picked Sage up from school. The one that, he quotes 'wanted to make out with his stupid face'

Happy sees his face turn bright red, when he spots the girl in heels, running towards them. Her bright and over down make up seen from across the courthouse.

Ralph sees his face, and bursts out laughing. While Toby glared at him, daring him to say a word about it.

He doesn't need his little preteen self to start up his sass right now. His sass levels are already rising up, and off the charts.

"Uh, Jenny, what's up? What're you doing here" she stutters.

Jenny squeezes her really hard, and looks over her shoulder at everyone standing awkwardly behind her.

She gasps when she sees Toby. "Oh! Hi Mr. Reeves! How're you doing?" She purred, when letting go of Sage, and moving towards Toby in her loud and ridiculous heels.

In the back of the group, Cabe snorts, from trying not to laugh, while watching Toby's uncomfortable face, turn to one of disgust. "It's Dr. Curtis actually" he says, clearing his throat, and backing away slowly.

And even Happy has to press her lips together, and try hard not laugh or grin too big.

Jenny takes a step closer to him, and he takes a step away.

Sage moves to stand in between the two of them. "So. What are you doing here?" Sage asks, wrapping an arm, around her shoulder, and dragging her away from her father.

Jenny starts babbling like a stereotypical teenage girl. Blabbering about something, that makes absolutely no sense, because of the amount of 'she was like's' and 'and I was all like's'.

Walter clears his throat, after about a minute of waiting, and listening to the nonsense. "Calm yourself, Uncle Walt. We're not in that big off a rush" she says, trying to find a way that would make Jenny shut up without being to obvious and rude.

Colby steps in to help her out. "Hey Jenny. How're you doing? It's been a while" he says, giving her a grin.

Jenny's eyes widen, and she starts to stammer. "O-oh, Colby. I didn't know yo-you were here. I didn't see you" she stutters, and curling her hair around her finger, and looking at her feet.

Sage smirks, and drops her arm from around Jenny's shoulder. Colby reaches out and takes Sage's hand, and leading her backwards, towards the group, in small steps.

Jenny, doesn't say anything, she's in too much of a daze to say anything.

"Bye Jenny. See you later" Sage calls, while they all run towards the van, in an attempt to escape her.

They all manage to pile in the van. Cabe driving, and Sylvester in the passenger seat. They all get buckled, while Happy and Cabe tease Toby about the funny encounter.

Sage snickers from beside him, and Toby elbows her in the side.

"She's a friend of mine, and the first day he dropped me off, Jenny saw him, and instantly fell in love-" she was going to continue, but Toby wrapped his arm around her head, to cover her mouth with his hand.

She gave him an evil look, then licked his hand.

He retracted his hand like he just got shocked by a toaster. "Did you just lick my hand" he asks in disbelief.

"If you don't want your hand to be licked, don't put your hand over my mouth, where I have the ability to lock it" Sage smirked, creasing her eyebrows, as Toby wipes his hand on his jeans.

Everyone in the van was laughing, until Sage started speaking again. "As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted," she looks over at Toby with a pointed look, "she came up to me, and said, and I quote 'I want to make out with his stupid and hot face'"

Happy's mouth hung wide open, as she looked over to a beet red Toby, trying his best to avoid eye contact with everyone. Which proved to be quite difficult, considering the fact that he was surround by a bunch of people in a small van..

Ralph fell over into Sage's lap, because he was laughing so hard, and Colby could barely breathe. "I can totally see her doing that"

"Seriously!" Cabe yells from the front of the van, in complete disbelief.

Toby glares over at Sage, and she just smirks, and sticks out her tongue at him.

He points an accusing finger at her. "And just for that, I'm not going to buy you another sketchbook" he says.

Happy smirks, and leans over to pat Sage on the back. "Don't worry. I'll get it for you"

"Happy" Toby whines, "we're supposed to be a team about this. That was supposed to be a punishment" he says, with a small smile, and a joking tone.

"Sorry Doc. No can do. And even if I didn't buy it for her, someone else in this vehicle would have done it anyway" Happy says, leaning back in her seat, and shrugging her shoulders.

"I guess that's right" Toby says, chuckling to himself a bit.

Shopping...

Shopping for four kids at the same time is a lot more trouble than you'd initially think. Considering that each of them needed their own supplies, and four separate backapcks full of supplies, can fill up an entire shopping cart.

Toby's looking confusedly at two different types of pens on display. Then looking up to see all the other choices available.

"What's the difference between these two stupid pens. This one is a whole extra dollar, for the same amount of ink, the same color, and even the same brand. The only difference is this one comes in a fancier package, and when you buy it, you end up throw-" Cabe shuts him up, by slapping him on the back.

"Shut up kid, and just throw the pens in the cart."

Toby grumbles and grabs about a dozen packs of the same pen, throws them in the cart, and then turning to the display of pencils. Which has even more selections than the pens. "You've got to be kidding me"

Sage laughs, while looking through the stacked boxes of colored folders.

Paige leans on the cart, while looking through the three different supplies lists. "It's okay Toby. You'll get used to it. Doing this every year is probably the best part of going back to school. Wait until you have to do the paperwork they bring him in the first week"

"I still have to do mine for orientation," he grumbles, so Paige can't hear.

Toby throws down the two different pencil brands he was looking at, in frustration. "Would it kill somebody, just to make one type of pencil, or one type of pen. To make things so much easier" he whines.

Walter grunts, while dropping a large stack of composition notebooks into the cart. "You and I both know Toby, how inefficient, and more complicated that would make things."

Toby grumbles some more, and picks up the pencils he threw to the ground. And randomly choosing several packs to dump in the almost full cart.

Sylvester and Happy peak around the corner, with Ralph and Aidan. With big grins.

"Guys! Come one, there's a huge selection of cool backpacks over here" Ralph yells at everyone.

Sage hurriedly picks up several folders, and tosses them messily into the cart, and running off to follow the four geniuses down the aisles.

Walter helps Paige push the cart, towards the backpack aisle, while Cabe, and Colby follow.

Toby's about to follow, but he's stopped by an older woman, with two little girls playing at her feet.

"Excuse me sir, could you help me please" she asks, a little nervously, and with a shake and unsteady voice.

"Sure thing. What do you need?" He asks, with the best smile he can muster, despite his annoyance.

She points up, with a wrinkled finger, at a basket of cheap pens at the very top of the rack, that is just out of her reach. "Do you think you could reach those for me?"

"Of course" Toby says, easily reaching up and grabbing the basket, then bringing it down to her level, for her to pick out her choices.

She picks up two singular pens, and sets them in the little basket in front of her, along with all the other cheap supplies inside. That Toby notices straight away.

Toby reaches up, and puts the basket back, and is about to follow after his team, but the older woman stops him again.

"It's really good to see you again Tobias. I'm really glad you've finally found and made yourself a nice family" she says, with a small smile.

Toby turns back around slowly, to look at her with wide eyes. "Ex-excuse me? How do you know my name?" He asks, taking a few tentative steps towards her, but still keeping his distance.

"Of course you wouldn't remember me," she shakes her head in disappointment, "we only met a few times, but I'd never forget that cute little face you had as a baby," she said, resting a wrinkled hand on his cheek, and squeezing it between her fingers.

Toby stepped back, and away from her, letting her hand drop back to her side.

He looked down at the two little girls still playing with their little toys.

"Tobias," she scolds, shaking her head in disapproval, like a mother getting onto her child, "that's no way to treat your grandmother"

Toby freezes on the spot he's standing, and Sage comes running from around the corner, holding up a grey and blue backpack.

She runs up to him, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Daddy! Look, this one can carry all my stuff perfectly. Sylvester and I did the math an-" She stops mid sentence, when she notices Toby not paying any attention to her.

She turns to look at the older woman, that can easily be her grandmother. Judging by the several wrinkles all over her body.

The woman just smiles down at her, and reaches out her hand to stroke her cheek.

Sage backs up, just like Toby did. "Now child," she scolds again, "don't be like that. You're father is enough of an influence, there's no need to act just like him"

Sage looks a bit creeped out, and looks up at Toby, for at least a few answers. But he gives none.

The woman starts talking again, and Sage still hadn't figured out what was going on, and Toby still hadn't moved from his spot.

Ralph comes running around the corner to find Sage, and he spots her standing over with Toby.

"Found her" he yells behind him, at Happy.

Happy walks into view, and starts towards the two geniuses.

She over hears what the older woman is saying, "your father was enough of a handful at your age, don't go off being just like him. I heard all the stories from his mother, and father, and boy did he give them a heck of a lot of trouble. But Either way he was such a lovely child, and I'm sure you are too"

Happy interrupts, by putting a hand on Toby's shoulder, and walking up beside him. "You gonna introduce me Doc?" She asks, with a laugh, and kind smile.

Toby blinks a few times, snapping out of his daze, and looks over at the woman, and back at Happy, and a creeped out Sage.

"Well, uhm, thi-this is..um, my-my...grandmother. Apparently"

The older woman smiles, and takes Happy's hand into hers, and shakes it gently. "It's so nice to meet you dear."

She turns to look back at Toby. "Your mother has been looking for you Tobias. You should try visiting some time. All of us in fact." She says, then looking down at the two girls at her feet.

"Now girls, get up and greet your Uncle. He's the one your grandma May keeps talking about"

The oldest of the girls perks up. She stands up quickly and looks up at Toby, who's wearing his own surprised expression on his face.

"You're my Uncle Toby?" The girl asks, with such a look of adoration on her face.

Toby looks over at the older woman. "I don't have any siblings" he says, then looking back to the two girls.

"Ohho, yes you do dear. When you left for college at 13 your poor mother adopted another baby girl because she missed you so much. And when you came back at 15, she was staying with me. Your poor poor mother missed you so much after you left. You should really go visit her soon dear" she says, shaking her head in disappointment, thinking about her sad daughter.

Toby shakes his head in disbelief, taking a couple steps back.

The two little girls followed him, like he was their idol. "Uncle Toby. Are you a superhero. You went all the way through school," the littlest girl looked like she was meeting a ghost, "mama May talks about you all the time. Are you really a doctor?" They press, taking a step closer, every time he tries to get away.

His grandmother calls them back to her side, when Toby bumps into Paige, and the rest of the team. Who came back to see what was taking them so long.

"What's taking you so long Doc?" Cabe asks, a bit annoyed at the shrink.

"S-sorry Cabe. I just got a little distracted" he says, looking back over at his two nieces and grandmother.

The woman wobbles towards them on unsteady feet. "It was really good to see you again Tobias. I'll tell May you're doing well." She says, with a smile, and giving him another pat on the cheek.

"And you should also come to your sisters wedding," she digs around in her purse, and pulls out a stained and wrinkled invitation.

She hands it to Toby, who takes it with a shaky hand. She smiles at him again, and she pulls the two curious girls away from the team, who now all wear shocked expressions.

None of them know Toby's whole story as a kid, not even Happy. But they do know that he hasn't talked to any of his family since he left at 15. When his father was put in jail, and his mother was put in a rehabilitation center.

"You okay son" Cabe puts a hand on his shoulder, as he watches the old woman's retreating figure.

Toby doesn't say anything for a little while, as he looks down at the card in his hand.

He looks at the team, with a look of shock and disbelief , while he takes off his hat, and combs a hand through his hair.

"I-I have a little sister." He says, rubbing his head, a little.

Happy looks worried for a moment, while Toby spins in a slow circle, like he was expecting the answer to be written on a wall somewhere in the building.

"You guys go finish up shopping. I'll stay with him for a little" she says to the team, but directing the statement to Paige.

Paige nods in understanding, and Happy wraps an arm around Toby's waist, and leads him to a more secluded part of the store. Which turns out to be a family bathroom.

She locks the door, and sits Toby on the closed toilet seat, and waiting for him to wrap his head around all the new information.

It takes a few minutes, but he finally looks up at Happy, and starts talking. "My mom never told me I had a sister. And now she has two little girls that I never knew about, and she's getting married," he looks down at the card in his hand, "I don't even know how she was allowed to adopt a kid, with her condition" he rubs his hands in his hair some more.

Happy smiles, and takes his hat out of his hands, setting it upside down on the sink, and setting the card on top of the hat. Taking his hands in hers.

"Are you okay? I know this is a little crazy, and unbelievable, bu-" Toby quiets her, by pulling her to sit in his lap.

He nuzzles his face into her neck, and kisses it once, before resting his cheek on her shoulder, and playing with the ends of her hair.

"I want to see everyone again. But it's been so long, I don't think they'd like to see me, after what happened" he confesses.

Happy sighs, and takes his hand again, and squeezes it, and turning in his lap to look him in the eyes.

"If they don't want to see you, why did your grandma invite you?"

"That lady is as old as St. Nick. I'm surprised she's still alive honestly" he joked, trying to loosen the mood, and squeezing her hand this time.

"I'm not trying to pressure you into anything. At all! But I think Sage would really enjoy meeting everyone, and I think I would too" she says, smiling at him.

Toby smiles too, and rests a hand on her thigh, rubbing it nervously, as if it were his own.

"That's actually partially why I'm worried" he says, looking away from Happy.

She tilts his head so he's looking at her again, "what do you mean?" She asks.

He sighs, and stops rubbing her thigh, instead he starts busying himself with picking off lint from her soft black leggings.

"My family...isn't the best group you want to raise a child around. I'm scared that if I start to get close to them, then they'll want to meet Sage and the babies, and Sage will want to meet them. And i don't think that's the best thing right now" he says, resting his hand on her stomach. And Happy leans back into his chest.

"I understand. But do you remember how excited Sage was when she met my dad. And do you remember how happy he was. He wouldn't stop smiling," Happy says, smiling at the memory, "and even if they aren't the best influences for her. They're still her family, and they're still yours too. Imagine the smile on your mothers face when she sees you, and when she sees Sage for the first time." She says, rubbing his hand that's resting on her thigh.

Toby smiles at the thought, then kisses Happy's neck again. "You're my family now Happy. You, Sage, these little miracles," he rubs circles with his thumb on Happy's belly, "and Scorpion. That's my family Hap" he says.

Happy smiles, and closes her eyes, as she leans her head back against Toby again.

"I know Doc. It's the same for me. But I know that you also miss your other family, and you want to be with them. Just like I wanted to be with my dad. When all I needed and had was Scorpion, and meeting him again, made things so much better" she says.

"You knew that deep down I needed him, but I wouldn't admit it. I didn't want to admit to myself, how much I missed him, and needed him to fill the hole that had been in my heart for so many years." She turns her head to look up at his face, "and now I'm saying to you. Even if you don't think so, you need your family, and you miss them deep down"

She can feel Toby's breath on her neck as he sighs in defeat. "I thought I was supposed to be the shrink" he says.

Happy chuckles, "I can't be dating you, and not pick up a thing or two"

He hugs her around her middle, and buries his face in her neck. His scruff tickling her neck, and sending shivers down her spine.

"You're right Happy. I want to see them again so bad. And I want Sage and you, and the babies to meet them, and know them as family" he looks up, and stands up from his seat on the toilet, pushing Happy to her feet.

He grabs his hat, and invitation. Turning it over to look at the information. "It's in 1 month. I can bring you and Sage along, and introduce you to everyone that I know. Because apparently there have been a few additions to the family while I've been gone" he jokes, giving Happy a side hug.

He kisses the side of her head, and murmurs an 'I love you' onto her temple.

"Love you too" she says, unlocking the door, and turning the handle, but not opening it yet.

"You ready?" She asks, watching Toby as he fixes himself up in the mirror.

"All ready" he says grinning.

He holds Happy's hand as they walk back to the team a few aisles down. He stuffed the invitation in his jacket pocket.

Colby spots them first, and he elbows Sage in the side.

She drops the things she's looking at, and runs up to them. Wrapping her arms around Toby.

She rests her chin on his chest, so she can look up at him while she hugs him. "You okay?" She asks.

Toby gives a soft smile, and runs his hand through her blonde hair. "Of course Bugs" he says.

She smiles at him, and doesn't ask any more questions. Despite the fact that she's dying to know what's going on. She just decides that she'll ask Happy everything when they get home.

Sage pulls up the backpack she was trying to show Toby earlier, and she pushes it into his hands. "So what do you think? I think it is pretty efficient, the capacity is more than enough for what I need. And the stitching looks pretty good, so it should be pretty sturdy. And I like the colors" she says, examining the insides, and pointing out what she's talking about, while Toby holds it for her, and following what she's saying.

He nods his head in agreement. "I agree. I really like it, the colors fit you" he says, poking her nose, and then putting the backpack upside down on her head.

Sage laughs, and lifts it so she can see, and pokes him in the belly.

The team laughs, while continuing to look at binders, and notebooks.

Clothes...

"Do I really need more clothes Aunt Paige?" Sage groans, while Paige holds a pair of skinny jeans up to her waist.

"Yes you do need more clothes. The last time we went shopping, we only got a few outfits for you. Now that your staying, you're going to need a full wardrobe. I'm tired of seeing you wear the same shirt over and over"

They were split into groups, to go shopping for each kid. Since shopping together, one kid at a time. Is 'inefficient' according to Walter.

Walter was in charge of getting Ralph clothes, Happy helped Sly with Aidan, and Colby and Cabe went off to build his wardrobe, that currently only contained a couple t-shirts and jeans.

Toby stayed with Paige, since he apparently had good taste, and Sage seemed to like whatever he picked out.

Sage was trying on some black jeans, while Toby looked through the graphic tees. Laughing at some of the jokes, and pulling out XS sizes for Sage to try on.

"Hey Paige." He calls, picking out another t-shirt, and chuckling.

She pokes her head out from around a rack of jackets and flannels. "What's wrong?" She asks, looking around him for some sort of disaster.

"Nothing. I just need you to pick out a nice dress for Sage." He says, fixing the shirts hanging on his arm.

Paige gasps, and runs over to him, with a giddy look on her face. "Why?! What's going on?"

"We're going to go to my sisters wedding. And I think it would make a bad first impression if she came in a jacket and jeans" he says, dumping the shirts into Paige's arms.

She nods her head like an excited puppy. "Ooh, yes, yes, yes. I'll find a perfect dress for her. She's going to be so beautiful" she squeals. Just as Sage steps out of the dressing rooms, with her black jeans.

Paige runs over to her, to check her jeans. Pulling on the waist, and making her spin in circles. While Toby leans on a table full of plain colored v-necks, watching as Sage gets very annoyed with Paige's antics.

He laughs, and she just glared at him, while Paige fixes and pulls on the jeans around her right leg.

"I think that's good Paige. It fits her good" Toby says. Picking up the pile of t-shirts Paige sat down, and handing them to Sage.

He grins, "some of those are pretty hilarious"

Sage nods, and gives him a grateful look, before running back into the dressing rooms to try on the shirts.

Paige disappears to find a dress, while Sage models the shirts for Toby.

"Hmm. I don't know about this one. It seems a bit baggy" he pulls at her sleeves a bit, and makes her turn around so he can check the tag again.

"Ahh, that's why. It's a small instead of an extra small," he says, turning her back around, and laughing at the dumb quote printed on the front.

"Do you like it?" He asks.

She looks down, pulling at the fabric, then looks back up at him. "Yeah, I like it. The quote is actually pretty funny" she says

Toby laughs, and nods his head in agreement. "Alright, you try on the next one, while I find that one in an Extra Small" he says, turning to go back to the graphic tees display.

When he finds the right t-shirt, he slings it over his arm, and is about to head back to the entrance of the dressing room.

He hears Walter call out for him, and he runs up, Ralph trailing behind him.

"Toby! Where's Paige? We need her help with something" Walter says.

Toby points over in the direction he's pretty sure Paige went. "In the dress section"

He turns back around, while Walter and Ralph run off in that direction.

He leans against the table again, waiting for Sage to come back out.

When she does, she displays the shirt she's wearing. "I like this one a lot. I think it's my favorite" she says, laughing.

"That's a keeper" he says excitedly, pointing at it with his finger, and handing her the Extra small shirt. "Pick out the ones you want to buy" he says, turning to look through the rack of flannels, and long sleeve shirts.

Sage spins on her heels and runs back to the dressing rooms, dodging a couple girls and their moms on the way back in.

She comes back out with two piles of shirts, slung across both arms.

Toby looks through her discarded pile. He holds up one of them in front of her to look at, and giving a pout. "I thought you liked this one" he says.

Sage nods her head. "I do, but that wasn't my top three" she says, gesturing to the three shirts in her other arm.

Toby gives her a confused look. "Where'd you get three from. We can buy all of these if you want" he says, handing her the pile of shirts.

"Can we really afford that. We're just about to move?" She says, raising an eyebrow, and taking the shirts back from him.

Toby waves it off. "Daddy's getting really big paychecks, so there's no price limit at the moment." He says with a wink.

Sage smiles, and transfers at least two more shirts to her pile that she's gonna keep.

Toby nods in approval, "much better. Now let's start on long sleeves"

Toby and Sage have a lot of fun trying on and picking out clothes. People actually looked jealous at how happy the two of them were, just because they were spending time together. And Toby remembers when he used to just like those grumpy old people.

Paige never ends up coming back, but neither of them notice, until the whole team is standing in that section waiting for them to finish up.

Happy walks up to the cart of clothes they've picked out, looking through the piles.

"Dang! You guys have been busy" she says, nodding her head in approval.

She holds up a leather jacket she found near the bottom. "I have a jacket just like this one. Except a bit bigger" she says, holding it up next to her.

"Way to go detective" Toby jokes, pushing the cart into the main aisle, and pushing it in the direction of the nearest cash register.

She punches him in the arm, and Toby laughs.

Colby definitely has a full wardrobe now, along with Aidan, who didn't really seem to care that much. He just enjoyed the interactions, especially with his Aunt Happy.

Ralph had just got a few new pairs of jeans, and shirts, and a new pair of shoes, because that's all he really needed.

They all had their separate carts, so getting them all through the line definitely took a while.

When Haply sees the price of everything they bought, her eyes bug out. But Toby is perfectly fine as he swipes his card, and signs his name.

"Doc! How're we supposed to afford all this?" She asks, in a low whisper, so no one can overhear.

Toby laugh and sighs. "Happy. You really don't know how much I make in just a day. Plus the money we get from cases. This really isn't as bad as you think" he says.

Happy grumbles, "well I would know, if you would just tell me"

Toby smiles at her while the cashier bags all their things. "I would, but that would stress you out, and that isn't good for you. Plus it's fun this way" he says, tapping her on the nose, while taking a few of the bags, and slinging them on his arm.

Happy smacks his arm, and grabs a few bags herself, while Toby laughs at her.

Sage grabs the last couple of many bags, and stands by the displays with her parents, while waiting for the rest of the team.

...

"Maybe we should have brought two vehicles" Sylvester complains, pushing at bags, overflowing into his lap.

Everyone is literally covered in school stuff, and clothes.

"Why don't we all stop for ice cream" Cabe offers from the drivers seat.

They all happily agree. Anything at this moment is better than sitting in the cramped van.

All ten of them unload at the outside ice cream shop in a park.

Then herded to the front window, to take their order.

Sylvester's the one in charge of taking everyone's orders, and relaying them for when someone shows up to take their order.

Cabe shoos the rest of the team away, and towards the picnic tables set up outside the shop.

Eventually someone comes up, wearing a ridiculous hat, and Sylvester gives them the large order.

Cabe pulls out his wallet when he's done, and hands the lady a wad of bills, and telling her to 'keep the change'.

They don't have to wait that long for the ice cream to start popping up. It comes out one cone at a time, and Sylvester has to run it to its owner, then run back for the next cone.

Eventually everyone has their ice cream, except Sylvester. Stating statistics about all the ice cream companies that have to get their ice cream sent back because of some disease that was discovered in their ice cream.

"You eat yogurt like all the time. It's basically the same thing" Sage says, licking around the bottom of her chocolate cone, so it doesn't drip.

Sylvester's face pales, before stammering out an explanation. "I-I know, but it's still much different then yogurt. Besides yogurts have a multitude of probiotics, which ice cream doesn't have".

Sage just huffs, and shrugs her shoulders. She didn't really care if he didn't get ice cream, she just wanted her own.

"And also...ice cream is one of the mess-" Toby interrupts him, by flinging some of his ice cream from his cone and onto his face.

"Shut it Sly. Or I'll dump this whole cone on your head" he says, licking at his ice cream again. While Sylvester struggles and scrambles to get the sticky mess off of his face.

Aidan giggles while watching him, along with others on the team, who try to keep from laughing.

"So Doc, when are you three moving to your new apartment" Cabe asks, as they finish up.

"We should be finishing up around the time that Sage gets back to school" Happy says, wiping her hands on a napkin, after finishing her cone.

Sage nods, trying to get all the chocolate around her mouth, off with her hand. Which apparently doesn't work very well.

Toby continues to brag about their new apartment, to the rest of the team.

Happy reaches across the table and grabs Sylvester's water bottle, and dumps some of it onto her napkin to dampen it.

When she turns back around Sage is still licking and rubbing at her mouth.

Happy sighs, and pulls her hands away so she can clean off her face.

"You're eleven years old, and yet you still manage to get it all over your face" Happy chuckles, while Sage purses her lips at the cold content of the wet napkin.

"Well, I was just introduced to ice cream a couple months ago. I'm still getting used to eating it. It's harder than it looks" she mumbles, as Happy scrubs at her face. Then moves to her now very sticky hands.

"This is true" she mumbles, while Paige watches them with a smile, then looking down at Ralph, while he finishes up his own ice cream.

The garage...

The whole team gets back from their day of shopping at around 5:00, and they're all pretty wiped out.

Toby finishes some last minute paperwork stuff, that he needs to turn in when they go to Sage's orientation at her new school.

She, Colby and Ralph are going to West Brooks Middle. Instead of Palms. Where they went last year.

Toby calls out for Sage from where he's sitting on the couch.

"Hey Sage! Are you sure you want to repeat 7th grade. This is the last chance to say no" he calls.

Sage sticks her head from around the corner. "Yes I want to repeat 7th grade. If I went into 8th grade now, I'd be two years younger than everyone, and half their size. I don't want people thinking of me as some smarty pants. Because the smarty pants are the ones that get beat up and picked on"

Toby rolls his eyes, and grumbles something about how he did just fine in school.

Sage turns back to Walter, who is working on finalizing all their results, from their tests.

Toby signs his name at the bottom of the sheet, and moves on to the next paper.

Paige sees him struggling on the couch, and sits down next to him.

"I told you, you should have got those done earlier" she say, handing him a glass of water.

He grumbles some more, and thanks Paige for the water.

Happy had finished her half of the paperwork a week ago, and since Toby is the slacker that he is, he's just doing it now.

"Hopefully Sage didn't inherit your laziness, kid" Cabe laughs, coffee mug in hand.

Toby frowns at the comment, and looks over to Walter's desk, where all the kids are surrounded.

He's just about done with the papers, so he sets them down to take a little break.

He walks up to Walter's desk, and looks over his shoulder at the results he's got so far.

"Ooh, looky here" he grins, while Walter is swatting him away.

"Go away Toby. I'm about done. You can find out the scores at the same time as everyone else" he grumbles.

Sage bounces on her toes, in anticipation. Aidan doesn't really care, like always, and Ralph is excited, but not as excited as Sage.

They sit for another minute, just waiting in front of Walter's desk, before he actually makes an announcement.

"Ok everyone! Gather around!" He calls, and everyone puts down what they're doing and makes their way over to stand in front of Walters desk. Ray included.

"I have the scores for Sage's, Ralph's, and Aidan's IQ tests" he says, motioning to his laptop, as he stands from his desk.

"Aidan. Has an IQ of 168, proficient in World, and American History. He has a fairly good understanding of motorized vehicles and numbers. His memory has the same abilities and capacity as Sylvester's, and maybe more. His EQ on the other hand, is possibly the lowest on the team, his human understanding is very minimal" he says, while Toby nods along. The pieces finally clicking as to why he acts the way he does.

"Ralph. Now has the fourth highest IQ ever recorded," Walter grins. While the team cheers and congratulates Ralph, "and IQ of 199, two points higher than mine. He's proficient at just about everything. Cars, human behavior, mathematics, and World history. His memory has the average capacity of any genius, all of which make him extremely valued and important. With about the same EQ as me or Happy" Walter winks at him when he finishes. While Ralph smiles up at him.

Happy smiles, and places a hand on Sage's shoulder, to keep her from bouncing too much.

"Now Sage, is definitely an odd mix," he says, furrowing his eyebrows. Which worried everyone, to no end, until he continued. "She has an IQ of 179, and has a deep understanding of mathematics, and human behavior. Her engineering and communication skills are above average, and so is her physical fitness. Her ability to physically and mathematically perform tasks, usually impossible to a novice or even an expert, makes her one of the most valued assets to the team. She has the ability that none of us have, and that makes it even more valuable," Walter smiles down at her, and Happy squeezes her shoulder. "And her EQ is higher than mine and Happy's, but still below Toby's or Sylvester's"

Sage grins big, and hugs Ralph, who's standing right beside her, with a grin as well. She turns around to give Happy a big hug too. And Happy squeezes her, giving her a big congratulations.

They go around like that for a while, celebrating the new founded information.

Ray sneaks up behind Walter, and pats him on the back. "From what I could tell bro. That had some major EQ in it. Your doin' good Wally" he says, Patting him on the back one more time, before going to celebrate with the rest of the team.

Toby's the last one to give her a hug, and he picks her up off her feet. "You beat me by one point" he whispers in her ear.

She smirks, and wraps her arms around his neck. "Don't get too jealous now"

He hugs her, and they hear Cabe's loud voice echo through the garage. "Let's celebrate!" And everyone cheers.

 **I know that I'm missing a few things on the storyline, so if you've noticed things that I've passed over, please let me know. I have a lot of trouble remembering everything that's cannon in my storyline. So if there's anything you're confused about, or that you'd like to be explained more, just comment, and I'll try to fit it into the next chapter.**

 **I need a few more ideas on the whole preganancy thing, and what I have planned is not even close to 100% sure. I don't know if you guys will like it, but it involves Collins, and I don't know if that's the best way for Sage to find out. It would be an extremely emotional chapter, and a bit violent too, so if you're not into that stuff, just let me know.**


	35. Orientation

**Sorry for the super late update. I hope you enjoy it. Any questions you have I'd be glad to answer in the next chapter.**

Chapter 35

It's orientation day for the children of the cyclone, and none of them are that happy about it.

Their first stop was to the middle school, where Ralph, Sage, and Colby would be going four days from now.

"Dad," Sage whines, "promise not to make a big deal out of everything, and try, pleasepleaseplease not to be rude to my teachers and classmates. I don't need them to hate me because of you"

The team piles out of the three separate vehicles they took to get their, and Sage was begging Toby, and the rest of them, not to embarrass her, or make any big and unnecessary scenes, like they usually did. She's been with them for long enough, that it's pretty much inevitable, but maybe her little speech could get through to them enough to prevent it this time.

Everyone promised, even Walter, but Toby hadn't said anything yet. He was keeping his mouth shut, and he didn't want to make any promises he knew he probably couldn't keep.

"Daaaad" Sage begs some more, hanging and tugging on his arm. And he still didn't say anything, and was trying his very best not to, by pursing his lips together.

So she pulled out the puppy dog face, since she had no other choice, "please Daddy"

Toby glanced down at her, while they made their way across the large parking lot and to the main office. Following the crowd of other parents and their kids far ahead of them. And that was definitely a mistake.

"You're not allowed to give me that look" he grumbles.

"Come on Doc. Is you're heart really set on embarrassing Sage that bad" Happy asks, with a smirk, and coming up to stand on his other side.

Toby shakes his head, "I just didnt want to promise anything." He says.

Sage frown, and holds his hand, tightly while they make their way to the school, to get their class schedules.

As soon as they enter the premises, in view of the staff and students, she releases his hand, and walks behind him and Happy, with her shoulders hunched, and her hoodie sleeves pulled over her hands.

Colby walks beside her, with a hand on her back. While Ralph walks on her other side, glancing around at his new campus, and observing his surroundings.

Aidan keeps wandering off, so Cabe picks him up and carries him on his hip, to avoid loosing a wandering child.

Paige moves to stand next to Toby, and they lead the front of the group, while Happy and Walter fall to the back.

They all crowded into the large, and already full office, to grab the schedules, for the two seventh graders, and one eighth grader.

"Sage Curtis, Ralph Dineen, and Colby Truitt" Toby tells the receptionist, with a charming smile, leaning his arm on the counter, and tipping his hat.

She grumbles, while typing a few last things into her computer, and flipping through the stacks of papers beside her to find the three schedules he named.

They'd waited in the line for 10 minutes to get them, and now they new why it was taking forever to move through.

Toby patiently waited, with a kind smile. Tapping his foot on the ground in annoyance, and readjusting his hat on his head multiple times.

Paige placed a hand on his shoulder, and pushed him away from the counter, to avoid any unwanted snarky comments that were sure to come.

Eventually they get the schedules, and Ralph and Sage 'somehow' get the same exact classes.

Paige eyes Ralph while she compared the schedules, and he puts his hands up in defense, and pointed his finger at Sage.

Sage scoffed, and looked over at him, crossing her arms in the process. "Way to throw me under the bus, Judas"

Ralph shrugs his shoulders, with a sassy grin. While Sage rolls her eyes at him.

Colby takes his schedule from Paige, to look them over. "Me and Cabe can go check out my classes while you guys check out yours. It'll be quicker and easier that way" he says, handing a school map to Cabe so they won't get too lost. "Then we'll meet up here" he says, patting Sage on the shoulder with a grin, and whispering something in her ear no one else can hear.

"I'll take Aidan off your hands too" Cabe says, readjusting Aidan on his hip, while he bites at his fist, and mumbles some incoherent thoughts to himself.

Sage and Sylvester nod their heads, and the three head off in the opposite direction of the campus. Towards the 8th grade wing.

Sage glanced at the map for a second, and then at her classes, and started walking in a random direction.

"Come on guys." She said, wrapping her arms around herself, hugging her body, and her hood thrown up over her head.

Toby pulls down her hood, and undoes her arms. "You'll look much prettier if you let yourself be seen" he says, with a wink and smile. And pushing some hair behind her ear.

Sage scowls, and swats his hands away. "I don't want to be seen"

She wraps her arms around herself again, but leaves the hood down. Leading the rest of the team to their intended destination.

Toby sighs, shrugs his shoulders, and hangs towards the back of the group.

Happy comes up to walk beside Sage, and puts a hand on her back. "You okay? You just snapped at your Dad, and you don't usually do that unless you're really upset" she says.

Sage shrugs her away too, and walks closer to the brick walls, as kids and their parents walk beside them down the hallways. Laughing and talking with eachother.

Happy watches as Sage nervously looks at the kids passing by, and how she shrinks closer to the wall.

"Are you scared of the kids?" She tries again, but leaving her hands at her sides, as they walk.

Sage doesn't say or do anything to respond, she just keeps walking forward, picking up her pace just a bit. In hopes of ending whatever conversation was going on between them.

Happy slows down just enough so she's walking side by side with Paige, and Ralph replaces her spot, so he's standing next to Sage.

"Paige. Sage is acting weird, and I think it's because of being here, and around these kids. She won't listen to me, maybe she'll talk to you. This seems like some emotional crap, and I'm not good at this" Happy mutters.

Paige turns her head to look at her, and readjusts her purse on her arm, "why not Toby?"

Happy sighs, "Toby would just make the problem worse. He's great with this kind of stuff, but if he knows that something is bothering Sage, he'll overreact and press on the issue, until he gets the answer he wants. And if he keeps pressing, then she's never going to tell us what's wrong. And she already seems annoyed as heck at him now anyways."

Paige nods her head in understanding, "I'll talk to her back at the garage"

Happy relaxes her shoulders a bit. "Thank you...but don't tell Toby about this" she warns, pointing a threatening finger.

Paige smiles, "of course not"

Sage takes a sharp turn into a classroom, and Ralph was barely able to follow without tripping over his own feet.

Sage pulled her hood up when they came in the classroom, and stood towards the back, and away from the people already crowded in.

The teacher in the opposite corner, had a big smile on his face as he talked with the parents and students. Explaining how the school works for those who didn't know, and explaining what to expect throughout the year.

Ralph came to stand by Sage, while Toby and Paige got in line to speak with the teacher.

Happy, Sylvester, and Walter hung back just a little, and stood out of the way of anxious parents trying to make it through.

"Do we have to do this every year now" Walter asks Happy, while grimacing as a young boy, no older than three, stepped purposefully on his toes.

"Afraid so Walt" Happy says, while watching as Toby asked Paige multiple questions, that she clearly didn't understand.

"I hope Aidan's orientation isn't as crowded as this place is" Sylvester said, covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve, as a little kid sneezes, and snot sprays everywhere.

He turns away and gags into his sleeve, while Happy tries not to grin at his antics.

Toby and Paige finally reach the front of the line, and introduce themselves to the teacher.

Paige shakes his hand first, and Hands him the paperwork she needed to fill out before hand, over summer break.

"Hi, my name is Paige Dineen, and my son is over there," she points to Ralph at the back of the classroom, "Ralph Dineen"

The teacher smiles, and takes the paperwork. "I've heard a lot about Ralph, I'm really excited to have him in my class. He is quite extraordinary" he says.

Toby goes next, sticking out his hand, and giving him a firm handshake. "I'm Dr. Tobias M. Curtis, and that's my daughter over there," he points to Sage, standing beside Ralph with her hood up, and glancing around at her surroundings suspiciously, "Sage Curtis. She's a bit shy around new people, but overall she's pretty well-behaved"

"That's good to hear," he says, taking Toby's paperwork as well, "my name is Mr. Johnson. I'm the advanced math teacher for 7th graders. I'm looking forward to this year, it seems like its going to have a lot of potential"

Toby nods his head in agreement, and scans the contents of his desk, and frowns. "You seem a bit too cheery to have high anxiety. I'd advise taking a weaker per-" Paige elbows him in the side, with a sweet smile, as he yelps in pain.

"Remember what Sage said" she whispers threateningly to him, and pushing him away from the desk, and back in the direction of the group.

"I'm sorry about him. He's a little blunt, Sage, I hope, isn't quite as bad" she apologizes.

Mr. Johnson watches as Toby stumbles back towards Happy and Walter, holding his side.

Sylvester had had too much, and went outside to get some fresh air.

"It's fine. It just caught me a bit off gaurd. He's very observant" he says, with a nod of his head, as he turns his attention back to Paige.

"They all are" Paige says waving it off, with a sigh.

When she sees the confused look on his face, she explains herself a bit more. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was talking about them," she says, pointing to the five, gathered near the boards, "they're geniuses. Part of Scorpion"

Walter looks down at his feet at the little boy that still won't leave, and steps closer to Happy, and almost tripping over a desk.

Toby's whispering something in Happy's ear, and she elbows him even harder in the same spot, and he doubles over in pain.

Ralph writes something on the whiteboard with a marker, and Sage just watches Paige and her new teacher, and slowly making her ways towards them when she realizes where the conversation is heading.

Mr. Johnson nods, with wide eyes, "are Ralph and Sage geniuses too?"

Paige is about to answer, but Sage had ran up to her at some point, and pulled on her arm, to distract her before she could say anything.

"Aunt Paige, we need to go," she says, avoiding her teachers gaze, while Paige tries to push her off her arm softly.

"Okay, just a second" she says, patting Sage on the top of her head, when she doesn't let go.

She readjusts her purse on her shoulder, and gives an apologetic smile to the teacher. "I'm sorry. But I'm sure you'll figure it out after a couple days" she shakes his hand again, before walking away, and leaving him a bit awestruck and confused.

They all regather in the less crowded hallways, and Sage stops them all in their tracks to make an important announcement when she sees no one is around to over hear.

"I don't mind you guys talking about YOU being geniuses, but please don't mention anything about me. I don't want the attention" she says with a scowl.

Walter's eyes narrow, "why? You should be proud of your abilities. Don't hinder your intelligence just bec-" Sage stops him before he can go any further.

"Yes, I know. I've heard your stupid speech before!" She snaps, "I would just prefer not to be the center of attention on the first week of school. That's all I'm asking" she says, a little more calmly.

Walter looks a bit take aback by her outburst, but recovers quickly. Paige wanted to say something to her, but not in front of the whole team, so she decided to wait until they had their little talk back at the garage.

Sage's little outburst only confirmed Happy's suspicions, and she frowned at the thought of what Sage was feeling. Sylvester just nervously wrung his hands over and over. While Ralph stood beside him, with a cocked head.

Toby stepped forward, and put an arm around her shoulders, and pulling her to his side, "it's alright bug."

Sage nods her head, and is about to lean her head on his chest, but she sees someone coming down the hallway out of the corner of her eye.

She pushes him away, and spins on her heel, to March off to the next classroom.

Cabe and Colby...

"So is this your little brother" Mrs. White asks, with a little bit more enthusiasm than what was necessary.

"Uhh, no. He's my...cousin. Yeah...cousin" Colby says, looking at Aidan chewing on his hand again in Cabe's arms.

He looks back to his teacher, who's smile didn't break. "Ohh, that's wonderful. He's such a cutie" she says, reaching out to squeeze his cheek.

Aidan sees her hand moving towards him. His eyes widen, and he hides his face into Cabe's shoulder and neck, with a whimper.

"It's okay. He just gets really scared easily" Colby says, when he notices her expression.

Cabe bounces him just a bit, to try and cheer him up, but he doesn't lift his head from his shoulder.

"Okay. Well it was really nice to meet you Colby. I'm looking forward to seeing you in class" she says, waving at them, when they exit the room, and turning to the next student in line.

Once they leave, Aidan perks right up again, like nothing had happened. And Cabe readjusts him on his hip with a grunt and grumble.

"She seemed really nice." Cabe says, while Colby looks down at the map for his next class.

He chuckles under his breath. "Na. That was all an act, she's probably one of the meanest teachers in the school."

Cabe arches an eyebrow. "Don't be so dramatic kid. She can't be that bad"

Colby looks up from the maps, and starts walking. "Oh, but she can. All teachers act nice and perfect around the parents, and then on the first day of school, they morph into demons" he says dramatically.

Cabe gives a hardy laugh. "You fantasize too much kid" he says, slapping him on the back, and gripping his shoulder

"I try" he says, with a grin.

Sage and the rest of em'...

"Oh look Sage! They've got a track team here. You need to try out" Paige says excitedly, pointing at a poster on the information board outside the lunchroom.

Sage glances up at the poster, "no thanks. And besides, that's only for eighth graders, I couldn't try out even if I wanted to."

Paige looks back at the poster with a frown. "Oh...yeah. It says it right there" she mumbles to herself, as she studies the poster.

"So what's next kiddo" Toby asks, looking at the schedule in her hand.

Sage groans, and hands it to him, before marching off to their next and last class. "Spanish. I hate Spanish class" she mumbles to herself. "I always have to be nice to the Spanish teacher"

As soon as they reach the door, they are bombarded with all forms of Spanish. The signs and posters are in spanish, and even the music playing in the background is in Spanish.

The classroom is empty of any students or parents, so the teacher ran right up to them immediately, and grabbed Sage's hands, and immediately started talking slow in Spanish, and making gestures so she could understand.

¿Cómo estás hoy cariño? cuál es tu nombre? She says, speaking with a heavy accent.

Before she can respond, the teacher acts first by translating her words. "How are you doing sweetie? What's your name?"

Toby chuckles, at the thought that she thinks she has to translate for them. All of them knew Spanish, even Paige.

Sage just sighs and answers her question, speaking quickly and accurately just as she had, "Estoy haciendo muy bien. Mi nombre es Sgae y esta es mi familia. Todos entendemos español, que era algo que he aprendido desde la infancia. Esta es Ralph," she pulls Ralph's so he's standing beside her.

"También sabe algo de español, y ambos estamos a la espera de tomar esta clase" she finishes, with a smile on her face. That everyone but the teacher knew was fake.

The teacher was absolutely flabbergasted, and had to take a few steps back. She put a hand to her forehead in surprise, and looked the group over.

They all filed into her classroom, and took a look around.

Walter shook the ladies hand, "es un placer conocerte"

She shook his hand too, and spoke in English. "It's nice to meet you too"

After a couple minutes of wandering around the empty classroom and Toby interrogating the teacher, Walter gets a phone call from Cabe, asking where they were.

He gives them directions, and they meet them at the room a few minutes later.

"So how long have you been teaching at this school?" Toby asks with a raised eyebrow, while the teacher gladly spouts out answers.

Colby moves to stand directly next to Sage, who's examining a Spanish poster on the wall.

He studied it too, while asking his question. "How're you doing?"

Sage just grunts in response, and her gaze travels across the white wall.

"I'm taking that as a 'no" Colby sighs, folding his hands behind his back

He follows Sage around the room until it's time to leave, and blocks her from the view of any students in the hallway as they pass. Acting somewhat as a bodyguard.

Paige nudges Happy after seeing Colby stepping in front of her for a third time, and sending the cocky boy a scowl. "Happy. I think Colby knows what's wrong with Sage. Maybe you should ask him"

Happy shakes his head. "He won't tell us. He keeps Sage's secrets private, and let's her tell us when she's ready. Trust me...I've tried"

Paige frowns, and follows Toby and Walter back to the main entrance, to finish up anything they might've missed on the tour.

They all pile into their separate cars, and head off to the elementary school that Aidan would be attending his first year of school. Starting out in the second grade, since he did all the kindergarten and first grade work in the past couple weeks.

Sylvester wanted to give him the second grade work too, but Paige advised that it would be best if he stayed with kids in his age group, because of his interesting 'condition'.

So Sylvester agreed, and since Aidan isn't legally 'living', Sylvester and Sage had to hack him into the school as Aidan Dodd, so he'd be able to attend, without too many questions.

The elementary school is right around the corner from the Middle school so it's not a very long ride, and it only takes them a couple minutes.

The whole system is definitely not as complicated and time consuming as the other school, so they get done pretty quickly, and soon they're off to meet Aidan's teacher, on the second floor.

They're all surprised to see Sylvester take charge of the situation when they reach the room, full of kids picking their noses, and doing other things that would send a germaphobe like Sylvester on a tailspin.

He eventually gets the teacher by herself after waiting behind a nice couple. While Sage takes it upon herself to fill out the paperwork at Aidan's assigned desk, that the school requires the parents to fill out.

"Um, I think it's best that you know a few things about m-my son," Sylvester says awkwardly, like the word is foreign to him. Tripping over his words.

The teacher nods enthusiastically, "of course"

Sylvester rings his hands, as he usually does, and adjusts his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. "He has the tendency to wander...and mumble. It's nothing he can control to a certain extent, and he's usually pretty good about keeping it to himself. And if he gets his medicine, then he's usually fine." He taps the side of his head, "he's had trouble in the past, and that's affected the way his mind and communication skills work, and he doesn't realize or understand that he's doing something wrong until it's pointed out to him directly"

Sylvester glances over at Aidan staring down at the pictured carpet at the front of the room, and the teacher follows his gaze, as he walks in circles and his mouth moves, as he steps over the children playing on the carpet.

"I think I see what you're talking about" she says, creasing her eyebrows as she watches him.

Sylvester nods again, and turns to face her again. "He's never been to school before, so he doesn't know how to behave in this type of environment," he gestures to the room around them, "so you might have to go over a few things with him, and it will very likely take him several weeks or months to adjust"

The teacher continues to nod her head, and takes what Sylvester says very seriously.

"How is he academically?" She asks.

"He's perfectly fine there. He's a genius, with an IQ of 168, and the only reason he's here is so he has the chance to socialize with children his age. He already knows most of what's going to be reviewed this year" the teachers eyes widen at the revelation.

"A-are you?" She asks.

Sylvester nods his head, and points to the team conversing behind him, "we all are...besides those three" he points to Cabe, Paige and Colby individually.

The teacher nods, and tries to call Aidan over.

"Aidan!" She calls in a sweet teacher-like voice, but he ignores her, and continues his trail around the carpet.

"Aidan. Come here please" Sylvester tries, and Aidan's head perks up, and he grins, skipping over to them like a happy deer.

"This is your teacher Ms. Harrel. Remember what we said about school and teachers" he says, placing both hands on his shoulders, as Ms. Harrel crouches down to his level.

"Hi Aidan. It's really nice to meet you" she sticks out her hand for him to shake, but he just looks at it with a cocked head.

"We're still working on that one," Sylvester says, "try a fist bump"

Ms. Harrel smiles, and does as he says, which Aidan gladly accepts with a giggle and smile.

When introductions are over he runs to stand next to Sage. Looking over her shoulder at the papers she's filling out.

"He doesn't talk much" she says.

"Yes that's something else. He doesn't talk unless it's absolutely necessary, or he's in the mood. He barely speaks to me and Sage...but he does know how to talk" he says, pulling his sleeve over his hand, to shake her hand.

"Oh! And one more thing...don't let him have any access to a school computer, unless being supervised constantly, he doesn't need to get into any trouble when we aren't around" he says.

Ms. Harrel gives a confused smile, and then awkwardly laughs, before recomposing herself, "I'll let you know if I have any problems or questions, you just need to fill in the papers at the d-" she turns to point to Aidan's desk, where the paperwork was, but stops when she sees Sage gathering the papers in a pile.

She stands and walks it over to Sylvester,and hands it over with a flick of her wrist, who then hands it off to Ms. Harrel.

She takes the papers with narrowed eyes, "you...aren't going to check and make sure the informations right" she asks, flipping through the multiple pages Sage had filled out.

"No, Sage's got it" he says, with a nod of his head, and innocent smile.

The team doesn't have time to introduce themselves to the teacher, because Sylvester rushes them out, while Aidan holds his hand, while being dragged out behind him, waving bye to his teacher.

"Way to go Sly. You handled that like a real man" Toby says, clapping him on the back, while the rest of the team praised him.

"It's not that big of a deal guys" he mutters.

"For you it is. 3 years ago, you wouldn't be able to set foot in that room" Paige says, resting a hand on his shoulder, and smiling, before giving him a hug.

Sylvester smiles back, and a shiver runs down his spine. "Do you realize how many kids in there were picking there noses, and coughing-" Sylvester continues like that for a while, and the rest of the team nods along as they all walk back to the cars.

At the garage...

As soon as the doors open to the garage, Sage pushes herself past everyone, and through the door, belining towards the back of the garage.

She pulled her hood up, and tried to cover her face as much as possible, as she sat down at the kitchen table, with her back to the team.

She pulls out her sketchbook, and hunched over it. Tracing her pencil back and forth across the paper forcefully.

Toby's about to do the Toby type thing, and run up and try to figure out what's wrong, but Paige stops him before be messes things up even more.

"I'll handle this Toby. Just hang back for a second. This is...emotional" she says, patting him on the shoulder, and pushing him in the direction of his desk.

Toby grumbles, and mumbles something about 'twitching fingers' and 'activity' which Paige ignored, and sits down across from Sage.

Sage grunts in acknowledgment, and Paige starts talking, without waiting for an invitation. Since she knows she won't be receiving one any time soon.

"It doesn't take a genius behaviorist to tell when something's wrong. And I've been around geniuses long enough to know when they're lying about how they really feel. I know saying 'I'm fine' might work on Walter or Happy, but it's certainly not going to work on me" she says, crossing her arms stubbornly, and watches as Sage's fists clench around the pencil in her hand.

Trying to hold back the offensive words lingering and hissing in her mouth.

Instead she stands from her seat with a growl, "this is my problem to deal with, and if I don't want someone knowing, then no one will know"

She says, angrily, disappearing further into the garage.

Paige sighs in defeat and hangs her head, before standing up from her seat at the table. She realizes her mission is hopeless, at least for the moment. Sage needed some one to confide in, someone that understood how she was feeling, and understood her situation.

So she trekked to Happy's desk, and waited to be acknowledged.

Happy looked up from her work briefly, before looking back down. So Paige took that as permission to talk.

"I don't think I can get Sage to talk. You need to be the one to talk to her" she says.

Happy drops the hammer she had in her hand, and it makes a loud clang as it hits the ground.

She looks up at Paige, "have you met me", she gestures to herself, "I can't even comfort Walter and he doesn't even have feelings!"

Paige sighs, and shakes her head, "that's not the point Happy. The point is that you understand Sage better than anyone in this garage. You grew up the same, and you had the same fears as her"

Happy places both hands on the table, and drops her head, "but what do I say?"

She looks up at Paige for some tips on consolation.

"Just say whatever you would need to hear" she says, before walking back to her desk.

Happy groaned loudly, and Toby looked up from his book, and gave her a look.

She waved him off, and he nodded and continued reading his book, like the good little boy he was.

As Happy got closer to the back of the garage, she could hear faint punches. Sage had apparently found the punching bag hanging in the very back of the garage.

She was hitting it with her bare hands, and her face was red from the pain and strain it was causing her.

Her hands were scraped and bruised, as she continued pummeling the bag.

When she realized her fists weren't doing any damage to the standstill object in front of her, she roared in frustration and swung around, grabbing a bat laying against some boxes near her, and swung.

She swung it at the bag, and a loud Snap and Crack echoed through the garage, as the bat split in two.

Happy ran up to the bag as quickly as she could, and Sage banged the back of both fists against it in frustration, before resting her forehead between them.

Happy moved the broken bat with her shoe, and moved herself so she was standing behind Sage.

She started massaging her shoulders a little at a time, working out the tense muscles.

She worked her way across her arms and shoulders, and up her neck.

She had to shoo away a few team members, who ran around to see what all the commotion was, from the loud bat snap. But other than that her whole focus was on Sage.

When she felt her fully relax, she started asking the questions, while continuing to massage her back and shoulders.

"What made you snap like that?"

Sage grunted, and waited for a couple seconds before answering. "People are stupid idiots"

Happy nodded in agreement, waiting for her to continue.

"I mean, every year I go to the same school, with the same people, and I see the same thing. They judge too much. Just by what they see, and I'm so sick and tired of it" she hit the bag again, angrily with her fist.

"My whole life I've had to hide my abilities, in fear of being discovered, and locked away in some stupid foster system forever. And every year I'm analyzed the same way, as a talentless, unathletic, semi-smart nobody, whose nice to everyone. And that's not the real me" she huffs.

Happy nods along, and just listens, just like she would have needed for herself in this situation..

"That's the total opposite of what I am, and it's probably the total opposite of what others are too. You only get one chance to prove yourself in school, and in society as a whole, and if you mess up once your out, and if you do it right, then you have to keep doing it until you mess up. It never ends.

Happy starts to speak, once she realizes Sage isn't going to say anything else.

"Why does this bother you so much"

Sage groans, pushing her face farther into the punching bag, clenching and unclenching her bloodied fists.

"I don't like to be judged, and I don't like it when people judge others based off of false information" she says

"I used to feel the same way" Happy says, placing her hands on Sage's shoulders, and spinning her around to face her.

Sage cocked her head, "what do you mean. You don't care what anybody thinks of you" she says.

Happy half smiles, before starting her story. "Have I ever told you about how I met Walter?"

Sage shakes her head, while Happy leads them to a set of chairs in the corner. She sits down and leans back before continuing her story.

"I payed people to be my stand ins at fabricating competitions, because I couldn't stand to be judged"

Sage's eyes widen, but she doesn't say anything.

"I grew up like you, but instead of on the street I lived in foster homes. Physical and mental abuse were often a daily occurrence for me. And in school it was usually worse."

"It wasn't common back then for girls to be into cars and machines, and I got teased a lot. I didn't start picking fights with people until highschool. That's when I just had enough of it." Happy said, crossing her arms over her stomach. Something she's been finding herself doing a lot lately.

"That sort of carried into my fear of being judged. I would ask random people off the streets to stand in for me, and I promised them a third of the money when I win, if they just stand and present for me.. Then one day I ran into Walter, randomly, and after he realized who I was, and what I've been doing, he asks me to help him start Scorpion."

Happy grabbed Sage's hand when she saw her picking at the red scabs already starting to form on her knuckles.

"Then I realized, that what those kids thought when I was younger, didn't matter. I shouldn't care about what others thought about me or what I loved, and this team helped me realize that"

Sage nodded, and hung her head. "For the first year or two after I started school, I was beat up and teased a lot. I was considered too smart, and I never put up a fight when I was thrown to the ground, but I never cried either. That seemed to only encourage them. They made a game out of it. 'Let's see who can make the little girl cry first'." She says in a mocking voice.

"It took a long time for people to accept me, and for me to realize it's not a good idea to let other people know the real me. And that's why I kept all my abilities a secret...from everyone"

Sage looks up to see Happy nodding along, and leaning back in her chair. Listening to every word she was saying.

"I would get teased and beat up at school, then go home and hide in a cold warehouse with my 'family' of crooks. I guess that's why I was so protective over Ralph during elementary school. I didn't want him to go through the same thing I did..."

"Just being around new people, and realizing that I might have to go through all that again, just brought up some bad memories that I don't want. And I think all this stress of having to go through that cruel system again, made me go nuts. That's when I started running from my problems, I-I didn't know any other way to handle the stress"

Happy smiles, and rubs her on the shoulder, while standing up.

"You know what keeps me from going nuts?" She asks with a smirk.

Sage stands up with her. "What?"

Happy grins, "Smashing things," she grabs Sage by the hand. Careful of her injuries.

Sage's eyes light up, and she's ready to run off to Happy's desk, but Happy tightens her hold on her hand, and uses her other hand to grab her arm.

"But first...your dad needs to take a look at those hands" she nods down at Sage's fists.

Sage looks down at her bruised hands in disgust. Trying to rubs the little bits of dried blood that has already stained her hands.

Happy leads her by the elbow, back towards the front of the garage, in the direction of Toby's desk.

She can see him nervously bouncing his knee, and biting at his knuckles, as he tries to focus on the book in his lap. Which obviously isn't happening.

"Hey Doc, can we have some assistance" Happy calls.

Toby's head snaps up as soon as he hears Happy's voice. He sees her leading Sage, with her head bowed, towards his desk.

His eyes trail down to find what's wrong, and they land on Sage's hands, intertwined with Happy's.

He grabs the book resting in his lap, and pretty much throws it across his desk as he gets up, and squats down in front of Sage to get a better look at her hands, and knuckles.

"It looks like you might have a minor sprain in your wrist. Several bruises..." he continues to mutter as he looks over her hands, "scrapes, minor swelling"

She grimaces when he runs his thumb gently over a certain spot above her middle finger, but she tries to keep it to herself.

Toby mutters irritably, while inspecting both hands. And marching back to his desk to grab his supplies.

He instructs Happy to get a bowl and wet washcloth to clean her hands, while he leads her to sit on the couch.

He sits at his usual spot, on the coffee table, with her hand resting on his knee, while he gets his things ready beside him.

"What'd you do this time?" He asks, with a smirk, while looking down as he works.

"Punched the bag without gloves...maybe a little too hard" she mutters, looking away from him, and towards Colby who's shaking his head at her in amusement.

"Yeah, that'll do it," he says, picking up her hand to examine it again. He raises an eyebrow and looks her in the eye, "how hard did you hit it?"

Sage shrugs, and tries to shrink back a little farther into the cushions of the couch.

Toby stops her, by pulling her by the arm. "You don't get to hide from me anymore" he says, giving a smirk.

Sage nods, but still doesn't look him in the eyes.

Before he can pry any more, Happy comes back with the bowl of clean water and cloth.

Toby thanks her, and dips the cloth in the water, and starts cleaning Sage's cuts with practiced and gentle hands.

Happy sits next to Sage on the couch, and tells her about when Toby was boxing and got himself beat up. While Toby laughs along, trying to disprove certain, embarrassing, things she was saying. Sage giggles along at some parts, while Happy and Toby banter and argue about it.

Walter's sitting at his desk, next to the couch, with curious eyes, while he watches them.

They seem so at home together...like a real family, and he's happy for them. He glances around at the rest of the cyclone.

Sylvester's reading to Aidan, who's curled up in his lap, with his head laying on his chest, while he listens to Sylvester's steady voice

Colby's trying to teach Cabe something about video games, while Cabe miserably fails at understanding. And they both laugh at his ignorance on the subject. While Cabe tells him about VCR's and grumbling about life being so much simpler without technology.

Then he sees Paige and Ralph. Ralph's doing something at his newly built desk, and Paige sits beside him in a seat she had pulled up earlier, talking to him, and combing her hands through his hair as he worked.

She looks up and sees him staring at them, and she smiles. Then goes back to whatever she was talking about with him.

He smiles to himself some more, and looks back down at his laptop, to finish his coding.

Toby finished cleaning Sage's hands, and starts wrapping them up.

Covering the knuckles and back of the hand, weaving it through her thumb and index finger to make it more secure, for her sprained wrist.

He does it to both hands, then brings them to his lips and kisses both of them dramatically.

"Walla! Princess. You are good as new" he says, with an Italian accent.

While Sage laughs, and smiles at his silly self.

She gives him a quick hug around the neck, and a kiss on the cheek, before dragging Happy over to her desk.

Toby calls out to them before they get to far, "be careful with your hands. Don't smash them on anything anymore"

Happy laughs, and Sage ignores him, giddy to get started.

Happy shows her how to hold the hammer properly, and she spreads out the bent up sheet of metal she was working on earlier. "What you need to do, is make this slab of metal, flat and straight. Just keep smashing it until you can't anymore" she instructs.

Sage nods, and brings down the hammer with a grunt, and the loud bang echoes across the garage. She grins, bringing it down again and again. Enjoying the jolt she receives up her arm every time contact is made.

Happy supervises for a couple minutes, before deciding that Sage knows what she's doing, and slumps over to the couch with a tired sigh.

Toby comes to sit next to her, and wraps his arm around her shoulder, and she doesn't protest. She just leans into his side. Ignoring the fact that the others were around to watch as they pleased.

"Why don't we go to the track before we head home. Give Sage a chance to let out some more energy she's been bottling up lately" he says, grinning down at her.

She nods, and closes her eyes. Whispering so no one else can hear.

"This baby is already tiring me out, I haven't even done anything today" she sighs, resting her hand across her abdomen while trying not to look too suspicious.

Toby raises his other hand to her forehead, feeling the heat with the back of his hand. "Have you eaten much today. Besides breakfast this morning" he asks, lowering his hand when he notices nothing abnormal.

Happy nods her head, "I ate lunch, and that's about it"

Toby nods, and stands from the couch, while Happy groans and pouts in protest.

"Be right back Hap" he runs to the kitchen, and starts digging around for some food, while she face plants into the spot he was just sitting in.

Unfortunately there's nothing much to eat, except snacks. So he grabs a jar of pickles, that Happy's been storing, and brings it over to the couch.

Happy sees the jar in his hands while he's walking back, and she reaches out with greedy hands.

She can see Paige raise her eyebrow suspiciously out of the corner of her eye, but she really doesn't care at the moment.

Toby laughs, as he screws off the cap, and hands the jar to Happy.

She picks out a small pickle, and puts the whole thing in her mouth, and leans back into the couch. "Is there any ice cream?" She asks as she chews.

Toby laughs, and leans closer so he can whisper to her. "You have the most odd cravings I've ever heard of...But no, I checked. There's isn't any in the freezer" he says.

Happy sighs, and eats another pickle, chewing silently.

Toby sits with her, and watches as the next few minutes pass in the garage.

Colby, and Ralph were able to convince Aidan and Cabe into a game of regular Jenga, since Sylvester refused letting Aidan near the 'pointy' and 'deadly' blocks in the back.

They set up the game in front of Happy and Toby, on the coffee table, and Toby laughs at Cabe every time he grunts from having to kneel down or stand up.

Cabe scowls at him, 'accidentally' kicking him in the shin before kneeling back down to the floor.

Sage continues to bang on the metal, just like Happy used to do when she was pissed or frustrated.

Walter and Paige disappear upstairs after a while, and Toby waggled his eyebrows at Walter when he makes his way down the stairs to grab something. Then receiving an eye roll in response.

Sylvester stays in his spot, trying to piece together the coding system Aidan has been working on for the past few weeks.

The clock strikes 5 and Sage collapses across their laps, in mild exhaustion. "My arm hurts, and I can't smash anything anymore"

She watches the game that's been going on for several minutes.

Cabe gave up after the first few minutes, and Colby kept knocking down the tower, so he gave up. Now it was only Ralph and Aidan.

She grabs a pickle out of the jar sitting beside them and chews on it, while Toby brushes her hair with his fingers.

At around 5:20 he pats her on the back, and helps her stand up, and off him and Happy.

He helps Happy up next, and calls out to Walter upstairs. "We're leaving Walt, see you later"

There's no response, and Toby smirks, before waving goodbye to everyone else and hopping in their new car.

Sage figures out they're not going home after about two minutes of riding, and she starts to get excited.

"Are we going to Uncle Walt, and Aunt Paige's house? The park? What about the new apartment?" Sage starts listing off potential locations they could be headed. Trying to get some kind of reaction.

Toby chuckles, and looks at her through the rearview mirror. "Cool it kiddo. You'll love it when we get there"

Sage huffs, and leans against the window, watching all the cars they pass.

They drive for a while and turn into the middle school parking lot, shared with the highschool.

"I thought you said I'd like it. And I definitely don't like being back here" she panics, looking at Happy for some support.

"Cool it," Toby says, throwing open his door, and stepping out, "we're not here for the school." He opens Sage's door, and pulls her out.

Happy gets out on her side, and slams the door. "We thought you could let off some steam...the way you're used to"

Sage looks between the two of them, "you mean.."

Toby grins, and nods, while Sage's eyes light up in excitement.

"What're we waiting for, let's go" she yells, grabbing Toby's hand.

Toby pulls her back towards him, with a laugh. "Not so fast bug. I'm gonna go get us some dinner. You and mum head to the field, I'll meet you there" he says, patting her on the head.

Sage nods and reaches out for Happy's hand, "come on mum, let's go"

She pulls Happy behind her, and let's go when they're both settled at a slow jog.

Toby smiles, and throws his hands in his pockets, walking in a random direction to find a taco stand or hot dog stand. Or anything really.

At the track...

"Wait! There's people here already" Sage says, hiding behind Happy.

Happy laughs, and pulls her out in the open. "Nah duh kid. It's a public track" she smiles.

Sage shakes her head, "but what if they laugh at me."

Happy's smile falls, and she grabs Sage by the shoulders. "What did we just talk about at the garage" she says.

Sage bows her head, "it doesn't matter what they think, because they don't matter" she mutters.

Happy nods, "exactly. And they won't laugh at you, because they'll be too busy cheering you on. Because you're awesome"

Sage debates for awhile giving a sideways glance to the field. She decides against it for the time being, and grabs Happy's hand, while watching the older boys practicing on the track.

She walks with Happy for a little longer, towards the bleachers at the side of the field. Building up her courage.

She could handle drug dealers, gun smugglers, murderers, and human traffickers. But situations like this terrified her to no end.

Eventually though, Sage let's go of Happy's hand, and takes a few steps closer to the beginning of the track.

Happy smiles as she watches Sage take tentative steps towards the field. She takes her time walking to the small stands on the side of the field.

She sits a little ways up, so she can see Sage at all angles, when she starts to run around the track.

She can see her kneeling at the beginning of the track, and she can see the older boys at the other end pointing and snickering at her.

They went to the highschool, and they were dressed up in their track uniforms. Happy glares and growls under her breath.

Sage sees them too, and her confident smile drops into a frown, and she tries her best to shake the thought away, remembering what Happy told her earlier.

She peels off her leather jacket, and tosses it into the grass beside the sanded track, then she removes her shoes and tosses them to the side along with the jacket.

She looks up, to see Happy smiling down at her, and nodding her head in encouragement.

She closes her eyes again, before stepping into the runners stance, that she's seen the runners do since she was a little girl.

She regulates her breathing like Toby had taught her, and calms herself, building up her nerve to run, in front of the kids snickering at her on the other side.

By the time she opens her eyes again Toby's up sitting with Happy, giving her a thumbs up, and smile.

She smiles back, and takes one last breath before taking off down the track.

She felt the red sand beneath her bare feet and between her toes as she ran, down and around the track. She closed her eyes and let her feet and legs guide her just like they used to.

When she opens them again, she's already halfway around, and coming up towards the obnoxious team using the field.

They stare wide eyes as she passes them in a blur.

She smirks, and runs past them, feeling the wind in her face and hair. Something she's missed quite a bit.

Her confidence grows, and she no longer cares about what the others think of her. Happy was right. They're just idiots that don't know what they're talking about.

Toby and Happy...

Toby and Happy sit in the bleachers while Sage continues to run around and around the track. Using different paces so she doesn't tire herself out too quickly.

He sees her leg bouncing, while she watches Sage, and he reaches behind him to grab her treat he bought for her.

"Guess what I got?" He sings, with a playful grin. Holding the cup of ice cream in front of her face.

The biggest grin forms on her face as she grabs the cup from him, and takes a big spoonful into her mouth.

"Aaannnd, I got some extra relish from the hot dog guy" he says, showing her the small plastic cup of chopped up pickles.

She smiles with a mouthful of ice cream, and grabs the small black cup and pours it on her ice cream.

Toby almost gags, as he watches her eat it. "You have the weirdest cravings ever. Like in the history of cravings" he says, watching her as she continues to eat the pickle sprinkled ice cream.

Happy ignores him, and leans against his shoulder, while he eats his hot dog, and they both watch Sage run.

After a few minutes of watching Sage, the teenagers from early leave, and head to their van parked in the car lot.

Happy's almost done with her ice cream, and Toby's hot dog is long gone.

"So Hap. Have you thought about names yet?" He asks, as she puts another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

"A little bit, but not much. You?"

Toby nods his head, and purses his lips. "Yeah...quite a bit. Naming the babies is probably the hardest part. So parents should start preparing possib-"

"Toby! Stop. I don't need you to recite a long article you read on Wikipedia" Happy says sarcastically.

Toby huffs, "for your information, I use a very reliable source for my information"

He can pretty much hear the roll of her eyes, and he smirks.

She doesn't say anything for a while, so he stays silent on the subject.

"What about Annette?"

He looks down at Happy laying on his shoulder. "What?"

"What do you think about he name Annette for a girl?" She asks again.

Toby shakes his head, "Nope. Had an ex named Annette...what about Caesy?"

Happy's nose wrinkles up in a grimace, " No. Childhood bully"

They trade names back and forth for boys and girls. They couldn't agree on any name.

"You know... we should name our child Quintis" Toby says, with a wide grin.

Happy sits up, and sends a hard punch right at his shoulder. "No! Your an idiot"

Toby yelps, and places his hand protectively over his shoulder where she had hit it.

"Well we can't seem to agree on any name, so I was just throwing one out there" he says, rubbing his arm.

Happy grunts and lays her head back on his shoulder. "How are we supposed to pick two names if we can't even choose one" she says with a sigh.

"Well we've only been trading ideas for," he looks down at his watch, "five minutes. It's going to take a lot longer than that to pick a name"

Happy cuddles closer to him. Glad there is no such thing as individual seats when sitting on bleachers. "The names have to be perfect" she says.

Toby kisses the top of her head, and wraps his arm around her shoulders. "Yes it does. And don't worry. Most parents don't decide on a name until they actually see the baby"

Happy nods in agreement. They lean back so their backs are leaning against the bench behind them, and they're both sitting in the crevice between the two seats.

They continue to talk about names, and Happy rolls her eyes while Toby suggests wild ideas for the bedroom.

And they continue to talk until Eventually Sage tires herself out enough for her to slow down and walk over to them for her dinner.

She breathes heavily as she falls into seat next to Toby. Who quickly grabs her dinner before she sat on it.

She leans her head on Toby's shoulder, and breathes heavily for a few seconds. While she sits snuggly between the bleachers.

He hands her his large cup of water he bought with their dinner, and she drinks almost half of it, and leans her head back against him.

"Wow. I haven't run like that in forever" she breathes, closing her eyes for a moment, while she continues to catch her breath.

"I'll say. You were running for a while." Toby says, handing her her dinner.

She gladly takes it, and licks her lips. "Thanks" then chows down.

Toby helps her up, and she continues to eat while they make their way down the bleachers. "Let's get home"


	36. Everything's New

Chapter 36

Toby rests his chin on the palm of his hand, while he props it up with his elbow.

He looks down at Happy laying next to him, with her black hair spilling all over her pillow and onto his own. And her strong arm pressed securely between her cheek and mattress.

He runs the back of his finger tips up and down her arm slowly, and watches her with a tired smile as she sleeps, cuddled next to him. Waking up at 6 in the morning really has its perks. Especially when he gets to see Happy in a state like this. So vulnerable and carefree.

"Hey little guys. I'm your daddy," he lays his head back down on his pillow, so he's laying on his side, and laces an arm around her waist, and places his hand over Happy's small and barely visible bump.

"We're gonna see you again tomorrow. After your sissy goes to school, and we're going to have so much fun," he runs his thumb over her bare skin repeatedly as he talks in a soft whisper. "Today we're going to work on our new home"

"You're mommy is probably gonna eat too much ice cream, and make me do all the work. So don't tire her out too much please, cause-" he stops talking when he feels Happy's small hand clasp over his own.

"Mornin Doc" she groans, interlacing her small fingers with his larger ones.

Toby sits up a little, and leans over Happy. Placing a sweet kiss at the side of her temple, and letting his lips linger for a minute while he breathes in the lovely scent of her hair.

"How're you feeling love?" He mumbles into her hair, and placing another kiss just below her ear.

Happy gives a pleased moan in response, and a smile creeps onto her face.

Toby chuckles, and rubs his nose along the line of her jaw. "I'm going to take that beautiful smile as a yes"

He pulls her further into his bare chest, his hand still resting protectively over her stomach.

"I love you so much Hap" he says, burying his face into her hair again.

Happy turns in his embrace so she's facing him.

She grasps the hair at the top of his head, and pulls him away from her neck forcefully, and guiding him to her lips.

He kisses her hard, and presses her into the mattress, before breaking contact.

He smiles down smugly at her dazed eyes, and goofy smile.

He kisses her cheek, and up and around her ear.

She plays with the hair at the back of his neck, and lets him kiss her.

"Love you too Toby" she breathes when he's looking back down at her again.

She yawns really big, and looks over at their digital clock on the nightstand.

When she sees what time it is, she sits up quickly, nearly hitting Toby on the head with her own.

She rubs at her eyes and looks again.

"Toby! It's Sage's first day of-," she yawns really big again before continuing, "school. I need to get her ready and make breakfast, and-"

She starts throwing sheets off her legs, and yawns some more. But Toby stops her by pushing her back down on the mattress. "Calm down sweetie. I'll take care of everything. All you need to do right now is sleep. You worked really hard yesterday on that case, and you just rest. I'll get everything ready, and come get you before we leave. Okay?" He says, kissing her forehead.

She nods her head gratefully, and starts to already relax back into the large and comfy bed.

Toby climbs over her and off the bed, grabbing a clean shirt on the way.

He steps out of the room, while placing it over his head, and messily tussles his hair.

When he gets full view of the living room he sees Sage. Fully dressed and ready. Pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table.

"Hey baby. You okay?" He asks, walking up to her and wrapping her up in a hug.

She unravels in his arms, waist of no time, jumping up, and wrapping her small legs around his waist and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I'm just super nervous" she says, hugging him around the neck, and pressing her face into his neck.

Toby nods, and shifts her small body to his hip. Giving him a free hand to work with.

"We don't have very long. But do you want to talk about it?" He asks, walking back towards the kitchen. Rifling through the many boxes scattered throughout the kitchen. Looking for at least a spoon and bowl.

Pretty much everything they have is packed up. Everything but the necessities are at the new apartment. The couch, TV, and two mattresses are going to the curb, and that's the only furniture left in the house.

Sage shakes her head, and lays it back down on his shoulder. "No, I just want to be held right now."

Toby nods in understanding, and pours himself a bowl of cereal, and hands Sage a muffin from the counter.

He sits on the couch, with Sage snuggled beside him, as he eats his cereal while watching the news.

Sage nibbled at her muffin. Taking far longer than she needed to, to finish it.

Toby glances down at her. "Still nervous?"

She nods her head, while continuing to ear the muffin like a baby rabbit.

Toby stands up to grab something from the kitchen. Leaving Sage far more uncomfortable than she would like to be without the contact.

She hates herself right now for her nerves being so reliant on someone else's presence. It's never been that way before. She's always been good at taking care of herself. This should be no different.

Still, she feels herself be able to breath again when Toby sits back down next to her., so she can snuggle back under the crook of his arm.

He takes away her muffin and puts it on the coffee table in front of them.

"Here," he hands her some yogurt and a banana, "this should help with a nervous stomach" he says.

Sage nods, and immediately begins to eat spoonfuls of yogurt, while leaning against Toby.

He kicks up his feet on the table, and keeps a close eye on the time while they watch TV.

Sage is dressed and ready for school, and her backpack is at the door. Full of all her back to school gear they had bought a few weeks earlier.

Toby sees the time, and pats Sage on the shoulder. Urging her to stand up. "Come on kiddo. I gotta get dressed, and wake up mom"

Sage scoots over to let him stand up. He grabs her garbage, and his empty bowl of cereal and takes it back into the kitchen before heading back into their room.

He heads straight to the bed, and leans over Happy's sleeping form.

He wakes her up with several tender kisses to her face. "Hap, baby. Time to wake up" he says, pressing another kiss to her forehead.

He grabs a pair of jeans he had later the night before and pulled them over his boxers.

Happy stirs in the bed, and letting out a few groans, while Toby continues to get ready.

Happy rolls onto her back, and looks at the ceiling, spreading her limbs across the bed.

She huffs, sending a lock of hair in the air, and out of her face.

Toby comes out of their bathroom, running a comb through his hair when he sees Happy laying across their bed.

He grins to himself, and walks over to the bed. Climbing on and over towards her.

He holds himself above her, and grins down. "Morning beautiful" he says. Pressing yet another kiss to her lips.

She swats at him playfully, and he climbs back off the bed with a laugh.

Eventually she sits up, and gets out of bed. Stretching her sore muscles from yesterday.

She lazily pulls on her clothes, and joins Toby in the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. Along with her little bits of makeup.

By the time she's done, Toby and Sage are waiting for her in the living room. They both have their chucks on, and are ready to go.

Sage sees her walk out the room, and she jumps up with a grin. "You slept in this morning. Like...a lot"

Happy smiles at her, and grabs her glass of orange juice Toby poured for her.

She gulps it down, and grabs the keys from the table. Opening the door, and waiting for the two lunatics to follow her.

Sage has on her new backpack, and holds Toby hand tightly as they walk down the stairs.

"You know, these stairs are probably the only thing I'm not going to miss about this place" Toby grumbles, as they descend the three flights of stairs.

Happy and Sage roll their eyes, and slide into the car when they're at the main floor.

They drive to the garage, since their work starts earlier than school.

And everyone is already there and busy doing their own things.

Cabe's helping himself with coffee, while Colby snoozes noisily and rather messily on the couch. Sylvester nervously preps Aidan for his first day of school. Going over his list of rules for him over and over again.

"What do you say when you need something?"

"Please"

"And when they give it to you?"

"Thankyou"

"And do you trample over other kids, and push through them?"

"No. Say excuse me"

"And do we shake people's hands?"

Aidan shakes his head in response. "Just bumps" he holds out his fist, and Sylvester nods in approval.

"And what do you do if you have to go to the bathroom?"

That goes on for a while longer, but Aidan doesn't seem to mind too much.

Paige and Walter are discussing something at his desk. His hand resting on her thigh, as she sits up on his desk beside his computer. While Ralph is sitting at his and Sage's desk, with his tablet.

Rays music could be heard in the background as they entered, giving the place a little upbeat energy.

Toby ruffles Ralph's hair as he passes to his desk. "You ready for your first day of school buddy" he asks.

"Actually it's my first day of seventh grade, not my first day of school. But yes, I am ready" he says, with a smirk. Turning back to whatever he was doing with his computer.

Toby scoffs, "don't be a smart mouth kid. That's my thing"

Sage sits next to him at their desk and looks over his shoulder at his laptop, while Toby sets up his things at his desk.

He glances to the desk beside him, and smirks as he watches Sylvester go over multiple rules and instructions with Aidan.

"I think he's got most of it Sly. Cut the boy some slack" he says, strutting over to his desk, and messing up Aidan's hair.

Aidan grins up at him. "Hi Uncle Toby" is all he says before turning back to Sylvester.

Toby grins down at him. "Looking forward to your first day of school?" He asks.

Aidan nods vigorously. "Yes. I got three new books," he holds up three fingers towards Toby's face, "and Daddy wouldn't let me read them till I-I go to school. So I get to read them today" he says, nodding and turning back to Sylvester.

Toby raises his brow at Sylvester. "He's talkative this morning"

Sylvester nods in agreement. "I think this is the most he's talked since he joined us"

Aidan frowns at him, crossing his arms and jutting out his bottom lip. "I just didn't have anything to say"

Sylvester smiles, and pats his head. "I know buddy"

He pushes him off towards Ralph and Sage. And he grins and skips over to them, with his Super Fun Guy backpack bouncing along behind him.

Toby watches him for a few steps, then turns his attention back to Sylvester. "What'd you feed that kid this morning?"

Sylvester shrugs his shoulders. "I gave him yogurt and oatmeal. It's healthy and doesn't have a high chance of disease and food poisoning. He also enjoys it so that's a plus" Sylvester says, "it's what he eats every morning"

Toby grunts and turns on his heel and walks back over to his desk.

He sits back down and opens up one of his psych books.

Across the garage Happy's setting up her things at her desk, and reorganizing her tools that she had scattered across her desk during her rush while working for the case yesterday.

Out of the corner of his eye he can see Paige walking over to his desk.

"Hey Toby. Are you planning on bringing the three kids to school. I promised Sly I would take him and Aidan today"

Toby nodded his head. "Yeah. I was planning on it"

Paige nods her head. "Thanks so much"

She rushes over to the desk where the three kids are surrounded, and kisses the top of Ralph's head. "Toby's taking you to school today"

Ralph nods his head in response and continues with his little program.

Time to leave...

Sage shakes Colby by the shoulders. Waking him up from his deep slumber on the couch.

"Wah!" He yells, sitting up straight, and blinking his eyes rapidly.

"Sage! What the heck!" He yells, pushing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

Sage smacks him on the back of the head. "Get up. It's time to go to school" she says, shrugging on her own backpack.

Colby grunts and grabs the bag laying on the other end of the couch, yawning and stretching his arms.

He's up and standing next to her by the door, while they wait for Toby and Ralph.

He fixes the collar of his jacket, "are you gonna do okay today without me?" He asks, watching as Toby finishes up his short conversation with Sylvester.

"I'll be fine." She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

She can see Happy walking towards her out of the corner of her eye. She steps away from him and walks into Happy's opened arms.

Happy places her hand on the back of her head, pulling her closer to her chest. "You'll do good today. Anyone messes with you, just show em whose boss"

She pulls her back by her shoulders, and combs a hand through her hair in a quick move, with a grin on her face. "But be good. No need to get suspended on the first day"

Sage laughs and grins up at her. "Thanks mum. And don't worry, I promise not to get into any trouble"

Happy playfully pushes her to the door, after hearing Toby call for her.

"Sage come on. We're gonna be late!" He yells, holding the door open for all 3 of the kids.

Sage holds onto the straps of her backpack and runs to the door. She can hear Cabe's voice in the background as she reaches the door. "You'll do great kiddos, be good!"

She calls shotgun and climbs in the passenger seat, as Colby and Ralph get in the back.

Toby climbs into the drivers seat, and rests his hat on the middle console as he backs out of the alleyway, and into the main streets.

They ride most of the way to the school in silence. With the classic rock radio station playing in the background, as Toby taps out the beats onto the steering wheel.

They pull up to the school, and kids of varying sizes and ages are running and walking to the main doors of the building.

Toby sees Sage tapping on her knee with her fingers, while she nervously watches the teenagers and teachers file into the building. She taps her foot on the floor of the car, and her emotions are running wild.

Toby reaches over and pats her knee, as Colby and Ralph climb out the car. "You're gonna do fine kiddo. If something goes wrong just give me a call." He says, giving her a sweet smile.

He sees Colby and Ralph with their backs turned to the car, as they wait for Sage, and giving them a bit of privacy.

"Paige is going to pick you all up today. I'm gonna be at the office today, so I won't be able to pick you up" he says, helping her with her things.

"Oh! That reminds me! Can I please ride home on my board today. I haven't done it in forever, and I need a way to get off all the stress after today" she begs, leaning closer to him, in high hopes of him saying yes.

Toby scrunched up his nose as he thinks about it. "Emotions say no, but logic says yes." He's quiet for a moment as he decides which to listen to.

He sighs, and lowers his gaze in defeat. "As long as Colby goes with you I'm fine with it. Just go straight to the garage" he says, arching an eyebrow.

Sage thanks him, and grabs her skateboard she had hidden under her seat.

She's about to climb out the car, when she hears Toby clear his throat behind her. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He asks, waggling his brows.

Sage laughs and rolls her eyes, leaning over to give him a tight hug around his neck, and a peck on the cheek. "Love you daddy"

She climbs out before Toby can respond, so he calls out to her through the open window. "Love you too sweetie. Remember, no funny business!"

Sage laughs sarcastically, before flipping her head behind her, while walking backwards to give him a grin. "Wouldn't dream of it"

And there was no way she or Toby would forget that what they just said had a deeper meaning than what meets the eye, or ear n this case. They did have really good memory after all. And who'd forget such an important day like that. (If you do not get to what I'm referring to, I'm referring to the first day Toby drops her off at school, several chapters ago)

In the halls...

The hallways were definitely more crowded than they used to be. Sage has to uncomfortably elbow her way through several people. Following Colby as he leads them to their assigned lockers.

She can see a couple boys snickering at them, after getting a good look of her skateboard, and Sage whimpers and walks even closer to Colby, trying to hide in the shadows of his large backpack.

Ralph was behind her, and he has trouble keeping up with her quickened pace.

Colby's conscious of her movement and her reason behind it, and he sends a glare their way, silencing them instantly.

He was easily one of the biggest guys in the school. He had the build of a football player, a personality like a bunny, and as protective as a mama alligator.

Eventually their able to get to the lockers, and they glance around to see all the worried faces around them. Apparently Sage wasn't the only nervous one.

She packs her skateboard in her locker, and glances down at her schedule and map, even though she had it memorized the first time she saw it.

It was sort of like a reassurance. A back up, just in case something went wrong.

She saw a couple prissy girls a couple lockers down from her, applying several layers of makeup as they squealed about the football players across the hall.

She grimaced, and readjusts the sleeves of her jacket she stole from Happy the night before.

Ralph's waiting patiently beside her, since he had nothing yet to put in his locker, and Colby was loading up his own skateboard for after school.

He watches as both Sage and Ralph carefully and silently observe their surroundings. Looking and studying each person they see individually.

So Colby took the opportunity, and while Sage was distracted he grabbed Ralph by the shoulder and pulled him away so she wouldn't be able to over hear their conversation.

"Alright Ralph, you listen" Colby starts, gripping Ralph's shoulder with a stern frown, "I'm not going to be able to protect Sage this year. I'm not going to be able to block her from her fears as well as I used to. That's your job now. You need to look after her, and make sure she stays safe. Don't let any boy look at her wrong, and don't let any girl judge her because she's different. Block her from the uneeded criticism, and selfish judging she hates so much. You need to take care of my little sister this year. Got it" he says firmly.

Ralph's eyes widen as he looks up at Colby, and gives a fearful nod. "You'll still be around to protect both of us right?"

Colby chucked. "Course I will kid. I just won't be able to take care of her like I used to. Keep her out of trouble" he says, letting go of him, and walking back over to Sage.

He pulls her into his side, and whispers something in her ear, before walking away down the hall again. "I'll see you guys at lunch. Text me if something goes wrong"

Then he disappears into the crowd of messy, smelly, and sloppy teenagers.

Ralph walks back over to her, after Colby had left. "You ready to go to class?"

Sage nods, and readjusts her backpack, and walks beside Ralph to their first class. Trying her best to hide behind him as they walked through the halls.

Lunch was a definite nightmare for them. The free lunch given out to everyone was most likely not real food, and they were soon to realize why it was free.

No lunch tables were free to eat their disgusting lunch at, so they were kicked out to the steps outside, at the front of the school to eat their lunch in peace.

Sage grimaces and gags when she takes a bite of the school lunch. Ralph does the same, and they both set aside their trays and wait for Colby.

Her phone vibrates in her back pocket, and she shuffles to get to it. Without bothering to check who was calling. "Hello?"

"Hey sweet-pea! How's lunch going?" Toby's excited voice echoes into her ear.

She sighs into the phone, and leans on Ralph as she talks to him, and he reads his book in his lap.

"Terrible. The stuff is just slop. Me and Ralph didn't even bother to eat it" she says, looking over his shoulder to read along with him.

She hears a grunt on his end and then a loud thump and smash. Followed by some muffled cursing.

Toby ignores it and continues to talk, "you want me to bring you two lunch?" He asks, and Sage can hear Cabe's voice in the background yelling at him to do something.

And she can hear him yell back rudely. "Well excuse me mister sourpuss. But I am checking in on my daughter to see how her day is going so far."

Sage laughs when she hears his mocking voice echoing in the background.

There's a couple seconds of silence on his end before his voice comes through. "The team says hi by the way. But seriously, do you want me to drop you off some lunch. I'm leaving for the office right now"

Sage turns to Ralph and asks him if he wants some lunch, and he nods gratefully.

"Yes please. Me and Ralph want some edible lunch, and Colby would probably want some too. So three just in case" she says into the phone.

"Alright Bug. I'll be there's in a few minutes. Just hang tight" he says.

"Kay. Bye Dad" she says, and hangs up the phone. She turns her head, and groans. The noise muffled by Ralph's shirt and shoulder.

She sits back up and looks down at the detestable food at her feet. "I've eaten food like this out a garbage can, but somehow this is worse".

Her nose scrunched up in disgust, and Ralph nods his head in agreement.

They hear the opening and closing of a large metal door behind them, and they turn around to see Colby standing there with a tray of lunch in his right hand.

"Guys...this is the worst crap I've ever eaten...like ever. And I've eaten some pretty bad stuff"

He throws the whole tray in a nearby garbage can, and sits at the steps beside Sage.

"Toby's bringing us all lunch" Ralph says, looking over Sage's head, once again leaning on his shoulder, as over at Colby.

Colby nods, and they sit there in silence for a short while, before he strikes up a conversation. "So how's your day going so far?" He asks.

A deep growl emanated from the back of Sage's throat, and Colby bites his lip. "I guess that's a no then"

Ralph frowns and nods his head. "It doesn't help that we're both smaller than all the other kids here. Plus we're new, and these guys don't seem to like new kids"

Colby sneers, "tell me whose messing with ya, and I'll fix the problem ASAP" he says, driving his fist into the palm of his hand angrily.

Ralph shakes his head. "You can't do anything. It's mostly just the football players and bigger guys"

"Don't forget about those prissy little snobs" Sage snorts.

Ralph nods his head in agreement, and looks back down at his book.

"We all got PE after lunch. Then we get to go home, so that's a pretty good way to end the day" Colby says with a grin.

Ralph and Sage's eyes widen, "nu-uh, PE is not fun! It's like the worst of the worst of classes" Sage says

Colby just rolls his eyes, and stands up when he sees Toby's car circle around the entrance of the school a few minutes later.

"Wow. That was fast" Ralph says, as Colby runs to the car to grab all three lunches.

"Thanks Toby" he says, and waves him off, digging through his bag, while walking the other two back to Ralph and Sage.

"Here you are" he says, tossing each paper bag to their designated owner. Ralph almost spills his lunch on the stairs, and Sage catches hers perfectly in her hands, while helping catch Ralph's food before it lands on the ground.

They both scarf down their short meal for the next 5 minutes they have of lunch, before throwing away the evidence, and heading back inside before the bell for the next class rings.

After school...

Ralph and Sage talk at their lockers as they wait for Colby to find them where they agreed to meet.

The same football players from earlier were across the hall, snickering at them, and the girls next to them left as soon as the dismissal bell rang.

When all the teachers are out of sight, the tallest of the boys struts over to Sage and Ralph, with a smirk.

His friends follow him, and he corners Sage up against the lockers.

He leans down to her level, and grins at her. "What's a pretty little girl like you doing here?"

Sage musters up all the self control she's had to gather over the years to keep from throwing this guy over her shoulder, and beating the crap out of him for touching and talking to her in such a way.

She can see Ralph's fist ball up and his face turn red from anger beside her.

He takes a step towards him, and raises his voice to hide the tremble. "Hey! Back off!"

The older boy gives and amused laugh and cock of the head, pushing his body away from Sage, and setting his eyes on Ralph.

"And what're you gonna do about it pipsqueak?" He says right in Ralph's face, and popping his bubble gum loudly.

Ralph stands up straight, as he sets his glare at the boy that is much taller than him.

And now it's Sage's turn to get angry.

"I don't think kindergarteners are supposed to be here, kiddo. So why don't you skiddadle back to your little preschool" he snarls, slapping hands with his friends behind him.

"That's it!" Sage yells, and attempts to throw herself onto his back, but a strong arm grabs her backpack, and pulls her back into his chest.

"I don't think so" he says, and Sage recognizes the voice instantly.

He pushes Sage behind him, blocking her from the view of the over confident football players.

Colby grabs the boy by the shoulder, and swings him around to be face to face. Standing at least a foot taller than him.

"I hear your messing with my little sis" he threatens, crossing his arms in front of him, while Sage grabs onto Ralph's arm pulling him towards her, behind Colby.

They both peek around Colby's large body, at the group of jocks standing on the other side.

The leader takes another step towards Colby, with an amused smirk.

"Whatcha gonna do about it tough guy?" He threatens, spitting on his face.

Colby shakes his head in amusement, and wiping the saliva off his face, before dropping his grin into a frown, and rolling back his shoulders, and swinging his fist right at the boys face. "This!"

There's a loud echo through the clear hallway, as Colby's fist connects with the boys jaw, sending him flying backwards into the arms of his friends.

Sage and Ralph snicker at his dazed expression as he recovers. And Colby pushes at their backs, yelling "run"as he takes off down the hallway.

So they run down the hallway, and to the front of the school, where the parents wait in their cars for their kids to come out and take them home.

Ralph spots his ride towards the back of the line, and pushes his way through the crowd of students, after waving bye to Colby and Sage.

They wave back, and grab their skateboards they retrieved from their lockers, and walking to the end of the school parking lot.

Their pace starts off slow as they enjoy riding for the first time in a while.

And Sage digs the toes of her shoulders into the cement to get better leverage and speed.

They go a few blocks before Colby strikes up a rather uncomfortable conversation. "So...you like Ralph or what?"

Sage's face turns red, as she turns to look at him, and nearly running into a woman walking her poodle on the sidewalk.

When she recomposes herself she gapes at him, "what're you talking about?"

Colby innocently shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know, you guys get a long really well. You stayed back a grade to be with Ralph, made your schedule exactly the same...and you stay over at his house a lot"

Sage huffs, and raises a finger to make her point. "First off. I stayed back because I found out I'm a year younger than I thought I was, and I want to be around people my size and age. Two, I made our classes exactly the same because he's the only person I know in seventh grade. And lastly, he's my friend and friends stay at each other's houses and play video games and eat ice cream"

Colby raises an eyebrow. "How come you never come to play video games with me anymore?"

Sage mocks pains and shock, "I do to! I...play video games with you all the time"

Colby scoffs. "Yeah. At the garage. But you never come over to Cabe's place to play video games with me, or have sleepovers"

Sage huffs, "yeah...well. Paige makes awesome muffins in the morning" she yells, pushing harder against the ground, and speeding ahead of Colby. Ending there conversation.

Colby chuckles and struggles to catch up with her.

He finally catches up with her at a stop at a busy intersection. He sees Sage looking down the street, at passing cars.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asks, waving his hand in front of her dazed face.

Sage points a finger to a black ford down the street. "That car has been following us. License plate 969JCY. Every intersection we cross its there"

Colby narrows his eyes at the car fading in the distance.

"Well let's take a back road then. See if we can loose them. If not we both have some awesome fighting skills" Colby grins at her, turning his body to start riding down the sidewalk perpendicular to the previous one. Leading down into an alleyway.

Sage rolls her eyes and follows him.

They're a few blocks from the garage, and are staring to get a little worried since the car was still appearing around them. So they started riding a little faster, and weaving in and out of streets. But they couldn't loose the car.

So for the next half a mile they rode as fast as they could back to the garage. They needed to tell the team what was going on.

Sage was off first. Not bothering to stop her board as she jumped off, and it skidded into the brick wall in front of them. Colby slammed his heel into the back of the board, driving the front up and into the palm of his hand. Causing a few minor sparks to fly around his wheels.

They both ran in, with heavy breaths.

Ralph was on the couch. Lounging as he finished up his homework. While Paige and Walt were at their desks. Nobody else in sight.

"Mom! Dad!" Sage yelled, as she ran into the garage, the heavy door slamming behind them.

Paige and Walter both stood up, taking notice of Sage's heavy breaths and Colby's semi frantic eyes. While Ralph peeked up and leaned over the couch to hear what they had to say.

Sage looked around at the multiple empty desks, and when she found none of her preferred consulates. She settled on Walter and Paige.

Paige ran up in her fancy red heels, and Walter did his awkward half walk half run across the garage.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" He asks, as Paige checks both of them over.

Sage doesn't bat her hands away as they roam over her face, checking for sign of injury. Instead she points to the door.

"We were followed. Some creep in a black ford kept passing by us, even when we went into the back alleys. They were always at a distance, but following us here"

Paige looked up at the door, and turned to look at Walter.

He nodded his head, and ran back to the computer, and Ralph replaced his previous spot.

"License plate?" he calls, and Sage replies. Relaying the numbers she had spoken earlier.

She watches as Walter did a few things on the computer, and saw as his eyes widened, "oh boy"

Before he could tell them what was going on. There was a loud slam from the back of the garage. And Toby's loud and recognizable voice reaches their ears.

"I'm telling you. If you put a chickens head under its wing it'll pass out" he says, randomly.

Sage perks up when she hear the four sets of footsteps in the background, and eventually the faces that appear at the main part of the garage.

Toby gets one look at all their faces and sees that something's up. "What's goin-" but Walter interrupts him.

"Toby there's something you need to know" he's about to continue but a loud knock comes from the front door.

All heads turn that way, and Sage wastes no time cracking it open and peeking her head out. Despite the many protests from the ones behind her.

"I'm sorry miss, but can you leave please?" She asks politely after realizing who it was.

"No. I'm sorry, but I can't."

They see the door budge a little, but Sage jams her foot in the bottom of the frame and keeps it in place, while leaning her body on it.

"Sorry. Can't come it. All you do is cause trouble" she says, with an innocent smile, trying to force the door closed, but struggling against the weight the woman's putting against the door.

"Sage! Let them in" Toby says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sorry dad. You probably don't want me to do that" Sage says with a guilty smile over her shoulder.

"Oh for goodness sakes" Cabe yells, marching over to the door, and pushing Sage away and opening it up himself.

He gets one glance at the woman outside and widens his eyes too. Trying to slam it back just like Sage did.

"Let me in!" She yells.

Toby recognizes the voice and groans. Collapsing into his chair at his desk, as Amy pushes through Cabe and Sage's barrier and into the garage.

Everyone groans. And Aidan joins in after seeing everyone else do it.

Sylvester mutters to himself, and grabs Aidan's hand and drags him upstairs, Colby and Ralph following close behind.

Paige reaches Toby's desk before Amy sees him, and she mouths the words 'play nice' to him, before running for cover in the kitchen.

Amy huffs in the center of the room, and stares at Toby sitting at his desk with a scowl on his face.

"I can't believe how hard this place is to find. I had to follow your daughter home from school just to talk to you" she exclaims, placing her hands on her hips, with her dainty purse hanging at her wrist.

"You what !?" Toby yells, angrily standing from his chair.

Cabe and Sage wince, and glance at each other regretfully. While Walter stands there awkwardly stacking papers very slowly.

Happy's just fuming with anger behind Amy, as she tries to keep her cool.

"You heard me," Amy points an accusing finger at Toby, "don't even try to act like this is my fault. Your the one acting like an immature child, who won't talk to me and work things out like a normal person"

Toby's stunned silent, "you-your really blaming this in me" he asks, with a shaky voice as he tries to keep from getting all worked up.

He moves from around his desk, and walks slowly up to Amy.

She nods her head, "yes, this is your fault. All I wanted was to catch up, and maybe go back to the way things used to be" she says, reaching out to grab Toby's -arm.

Happy snarls, and marches up to stand next to Toby, shoulder to shoulder,staring daggers at Amy.

Who just huffs in annoyance, and retracts her hand. "All this is your fault" she says, pointing at Happy.

"You're the one who stole my fiancé" she yells at her, while Happy and Toby stand motionless with straight faces as Amy continues to yell and accuse Happy of many things.

Cabe covers Sage's ears as Amy yells inappropriate things at the pair. And she just rolls her eyes at him.

Once Amy finishes with her rampage, she says something extremely vulgar to Happy, which sets Toby off on a rampage.

Setting off a yelling match between the two, once again.

Sage gets antsy and uncomfortable as the yelling gets louder, and more violent.

Cabe notices and wraps a protective arm around her shoulders, and leads her to the kitchen. A little farther away from the fight in the main room.

"You left me to go be with Jerkhead. And as soon as my life is in it's prime you come skipping along wanting to tear it apart, just to have what you want back! You don't care about me or Sage, or anyone! Just about yourself" Toby yells.

"No! I do not think only about myself. That's you Toby! All you did every night was gamble, and gamble! And all of a sudden it's my fault that I broke up with you! And saw the good in you, and came back for you! Is that all really my fault?!"

Even Happy eventually got extremely uncomfortable with the conversation and escaped to the kitchen where Cabe, Paige and Sage were sitting. Waiting for the fight to end.

Walter was trapped at his desk. Every time he would make a move for the kitchen, Toby would raise his voice even louder, or Amy would get upset and kick something. Sending him retreating back to his desk.

Sage sees Happy sit down at a kitchen chair, and she runs to sit with her.

She leans her head on Happy's shoulder, as Happy violently taps her fingers on the tabletop to calm her nerves.

Eventually Amy storms out the garage in anger, slamming the door behind her. While Toby throws his hands in the air, and spins on his heels to match back to his desk.

Sage retreats upstairs with the guys, and gives both Happy and Toby some cool down time.

The three young boys are already busy with the tv, while Sylvester stands by with a watchful eye.

Colby sees her walk in, and he lays down his controller and stands up. "Hey, is everything cooled down there"

Sage shakes her head, and squishes between Aidan and Ralph.

"No, dads kinda pissed, and I don't think he's gonna feel better anytime soon" she says, grabbing her control lazily.

"You can sleepover tonight if you want" Ralph offers, noting her discomfort with the situation.

"No. I-I think it would be best if Sage goes home tonight" Sylvester stutters out from behind them.

Colby turn around on the couch and raises a brow at Sylvester.

His eyes widen and he frantically retreats downstairs with the rest of the team.

"What's up with him!" Colby scoffs, turning back to the game.

"I don't know, but I do think it's best for me to go home tonight. Moral support I guess"

Ralph shrugs and the four of them continue their game silently.

It takes three hours for any of them to build up the courage to go downstairs. And they're all starving.

They usually would've had dinner and hour ago, and no one has told them to come down and eat yet.

Sage ventures down first, and looks over the railing at all the empty desks. All the desk lights are off, and there are muffled voices coming from the very back of the garage.

She waves Aidan, Ralph, and Colby down, and sneaks around back, peeking around the old rusty Jeep Happy hadn't gotten around to yet.

All the geniuses, Paige, Cabe and Ray, were sitting around a table with cards in their hands, and a large box of pizza in the middle.

Paige throws her hand of cards down in front of her with a frustrated sigh. "You geniuses make playing cards 100 times more difficult" she complains, as Cabe rubs his chin while he tries figuring out his hand.

Toby laughs and gives Paige a playful side hug, "looks like you aren't getting the last piece of pizza"

Paige glares at him, and huffs.

Sage sees the almost empty pizza box in the middle of the table.

She gasps, "I can't believe they didn't feed us"

All four kids stick their heads around the corner to get a look at what she's talking about.

"Come on. Let's go get some food" Colby says, pulling at the ends of his sleeves, and marching out into the open.

Followed by Ralph, Sage, then Aidan.

They march up to the table, and look accusingly at the nearly empty pizza box.

Toby plays a card from his hand, and leans back in his chair, pointing to the stove. "Relax. Your pizza is on the stove"

Aidan licks his lips, and darts over to the pizza box.

"He-Hey. Wash your hands" Sylvester calls when he sees him about to reach for the first piece.

Toby swats on the shoulder. "Let the kid live a little Sly. If you hold onto the leash too tight, he'll just pull harder"

Sly narrows his eyes at Toby, and grudgingly allows Aidan to eat his dinner without sanitizing and disinfecting his hands multiple times.

The kids sit around the table and watch as the geniuses finish the game. Ray abandoned the game just a few hands in, and Cabe and Paige gave up pretty quickly. Leaving the four geniuses hard at work.

After half an hour of back and forth bickering and challenges, Toby wins the game by a hair.

He stands from his chair, raising his arms triumphantly over his head.

Sage leans over to whisper in Paige's ear, "I guess he's feeling better then"

Paige nods, "yep. I forced them all to play a game or two together. And that seemed to cheer both of them up a bit" she says, nodding at both Happy and Toby.

Happy tugs at the hem of Toby's shirt. "Sit down before you fall and hit your ego"

Toby smirks at her, "you're just jealous you didn't win" he teases.

Happy growls at him, "watch it Doc" she threatens.

Toby raises his hands in front of his body in self defense, and backs away from the table. Grabbing his winning slice, and taking a large bite out of it.

Happy stands too, "you better share that with me Curtis" she yells, chasing after him.

There's a bit of commotion and banging that the 8 members can hear, and they roll their eyes, while cleaning up the game.

"Your parents are crazy" Colby says, handing Sage a stack of cards he gathered from the table.

"I know. But you gotta love em"

OoOoOoOo

The Quintis household drives home on the busy streets, and Sage tells them about her first day of school. Leaving out specific parts.

She's so busy talking she almost doesn't notice when Toby turns into the wrong street home.

She pauses mid sentence, "uhh, dad? Where are we going?" She asks, leaning over the center console, and peering through the front window.

Toby grins, and Happy hides a smirk. "Guess" he says. As if challenging her to get it right.

Sage's eyes widen. "No way!" She squeals. "We're all moved into the new apartment?"

Toby nods his head excitedly. "Yep. The team helped us move all out stuff there, and even started unpacking a few things, but there's still a lot left to do"

Sage bounces in her seat excitedly. "Ooh, I'm so excited. That place is sooo awesome"

She hadn't actually been taken to the new apartment yet, she's only seen pictures of it. And from what's she's seen, it's pretty amazing.

Happy grins and nods her head.

Toby can see Sage twitching in the backseat after a few moments of silence. "What ya thinking bug?"

Sage shrugs before getting to her point. "Does our new apartment allow animals? Cause I was thinking about getting a dog. Like...one of those big dogs."

Toby's eyes widen comically, and Happy nods her head in consideration. "Maybe a German Shepard. Or a Chocolate La-" Toby cuts her off.

"Are you guys seriously considering this. We can't afford a dog, or give it the attention it needs, and not to mention all the potty training, and chewing, and slobber. Plus big dogs like that could be dangerous to babyaaoons. Baboons" he fixes his mistake quickly and messily, glancing over at Happy.

"Really? Baboons is the best you could come up with?"

Sage eyes the both of them suspiciously. "What's up with you two. You've been acting kind of weird lately. Not your normal weird, but a weird weird"

Toby laughs uncomfortably. "Oh, look. We're here" he says, pulling into the well kept parking lot, and into their assigned space.

Sage climbs out in a ball of excitement, while both Happy and Toby take there time exiting the car.

Sage runs into the main lobby of their building, and looks around while Toby and Happy follow close behind her.

She hadn't been able to get a good look at it previously. She'd only seen pictures of it, from Toby's phone.

She feels a hand on her shoulder, guiding her to the elevators.

"Come on. Let's get to the new apartment" Toby says.

Sage loves riding in the elevator. She can only remember one time in her life when she rode in an elevator, so this was a totally new experience for her. And she loved it.

She looks around at the fancy interior, as Toby presses the button for the fifth floor.

They wait, until a ding chimes, and the doors open, revealing a carpeted hallway with 2 doors on either side.

Their condo is 5A on the right, and Sage runs up to it, bouncing on the balls of her feet, while Toby finds the keys.

The door is finally pushed open, revealing the beautiful scenery inside.

Sage steps in slowly, examining each room she can see.

As soon as you step in the door your invited into the living room with grey couches, and a nice flatscreen hanging over a stone fireplace.

Walking around the couches would lead into the dining room, and kitchen area. At least three times the size of the old one. With polished granite countertops, and smooth spruce table and chairs.

The scene that could be seen out of the wall of windows is amazing. Looking to the left you can see the final setting of the sun on the ocean, and to the right you can see the city of Los Angeles, and the streetlights against the dark expanse of the night.

The white walls, are illuminated by the bright lights built into the ceiling, and shining over the island between the kitchen and dining room.

Sage is wandering around the kitchen, when she hears Toby's voice behind her. "It's even cooler on the other side."

Sage turns around and is immediately overwhelmed.

There's a white staircase built out from the wall, leading up to room on the second floor, and the balcony. The polished oak floors stand out against the black bookcases lining the walls, and glass railings leading to the bathroom at the end of the hall.

Underneath the extension is another sitting area, with a coffee table and small tv opposite the wide hallway leading to the master bedroom and guest bedroom at the end.

It's not as big and open as the rest of the condo, just about the size of the living room at the previous apartment.

Sage puts her hands to her mouth, and is stunned silent. It was way better in person than in the pictures.

"I don't like all the fancy decor and stuff. We still gotta move a lot of stuff around, but this is pretty much the basis of it. What do you think?" Happy asks, glancing around the expansive living space.

Sage just hangs her mouth as she continues to gaze around.

"I honestly don't know how we afforded this place" Happy says, eyeing Toby, who innocently shrugs his shoulders.

Sage drops her eyes to look at the two standing in the middle of the living room, on the black rug.

She runs up and gives them both a hug, and pressing her cheek into Toby's stomach.

"I love you guys so much" her voice is muffled from speaking through his shirt, but they understand.

Happy grabs her hand, and starts pulling her up the stairs. "Let's go look at your room" she says excitedly, as Sage's giddy eyes agree.

Toby smiles as he watches Happy and Sage disappear around the corner of bookcases and into Sage's room.

Sage's enters her room, and her breath hitches, as her hands fly to her mouth. "Oh my goodness" she whispers, as she looks around the huge room.

There's a low to the ground bed with a light blue and grey comforter and pillows, with a black headboard. On the opposite wall is a whole line of white shelves. With plenty of room to keep clothes, books, and anything really.

Across from where the two of them are standing there's a giant window covering the whole wall, with light grey curtains pulled back to the sides, revealing an amazing view of Los Angeles.

On the right side of the door, is a another door leading to her closet for all her clothes, and to the left, is one of the biggest desks she's ever seen.

All her drawing supplies and markers, and sketch pads, and school books are laying on top, with a blue desk chair rolled underneath. The back of the desk, crawls up the wall, providing shelves and drawers to keep her things in.

The room is empty except for the boxes in the center of the room containing her few belongings.

"Woah. This is amazing" she says under her breath, as she falls back onto the bed.

"Thought you might like it" Happy says with a grin, laying down next to Sage on the bed.

"This place is awesome!"she says, pumping her fists in the air.

"It sure is. It's just the right size for us. Not too big, and not too cramped. It's perfect" she says.

Neither of them see Toby leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed as he watches the two of them.

He sees Happy's hand rest protectively over her stomach as the two both stare at the ceiling.

He waits a minute, before clapping his hands together to get their attention. "Alright! Sage you got school tomorrow, let's get ready for bed" he says, helping Happy stand from the bed, to let Sage get dressed into her pajamas.

They both head downstairs to their own room, and get changed too.

Happy places a hand over her bare stomach as she looks in the standing mirror in their room.

She frowns at the growing bump on her belly. "I don't want to get fat" she pouts.

She can see a shirtless Toby shimmy up behind her, and wrap his arms around her waist, and rest his chin on her shoulder, as he hums into her ear. "You aren't gonna be fat, you're going to be absolutely," he kisses her neck, "positively", then shoulder, "beautiful"

Happy rolls her eyes, as he unwraps his arms from around her waist, and pulls on a plain white t shirt for bed.

Happy moves away from the mirror, and pulls on one of Toby's oversized shirts to hide her growing belly. "Pretty soon I won't be able to hide these little nuisances anymore"

Toby gasps behind her. "Do not call our children a nuisance" he says dramatically.

He kneels down so he's eye level with Happy's belly, and places a hand on both hips, holding her steady as he kisses her stomach, right above her belly button. "Don't worry. Mommy didn't mean that, she loves you both so so much" he says, kissing her stomach again.

Happy laughs, and runs a hand through his curls, as he stands up, and pulls him towards her for a quick kiss. "You're a dork. You know that?"

Toby grins at her, as he rests his forehead against hers. "Yeah. But I'm your dork" he says.

And she just rolls her eyes and kisses him even harder.

 **So what did you guys think? Have any suggestion? Leave a comment and let me know**

 **Love ya :)**


	37. Sage finds out

Chapter 37

2 weeks later...

Toby wakes up to a horrible retching sound from his and Happy's shared bathroom.

He rubs the sleep out of his eyes, and yawns as he sits up in bed, glancing around briefly, just to be sure he wasn't still dreaming.

He looks beside him, and sees a mess of sheets, and indents in the fabric and mattress, but no Happy.

The terrible retching sound is heard again, and he jumps up from the bed, despite his dazed and tired state, after realizing what was going on.

He runs around the bed, to the other side, towards the bathroom door. Closed with the dim yellow light shining from the crack beneath.

He raps his knuckles against the door, before pushing it open just a bit, and poking his head in. "Hey, Happy" he says in a soft whisper.

Happy groans in response, as she braces herself against the porcelain bowl. Resting her cheek on the side, as she catches her breath for a moment.

Toby moves to lean against the bathtub, placed next to the toilet, while rubbing Happy's back, and pulling back her hair out of her face. It was sticking to her forehead and the back of her neck, from all the sweat.

Happy groans again, before dipping her face back into the bowl, and emptying the contents of her stomach once again.

Toby crinkles his nose as he watches her. Pulling back her hair, rubbing her back and chanting soothing words into her ear as she rests against him and the toilet.

A series of slow knocks emit from the door, and Sage peeks her sleepy head around the crack in the door to see what was going on.

She sees Toby leaning against the tub, while holding onto Happy. Who looks absolutely miserable, and pale, from all the vomiting.

"Are you okay mum?" She asks, stepping the rest of the way into the bathroom, standing several paces away.

Happy waves her off weakly. Unable to form words without sounding like a mumbling mess.

Toby speaks up for her instead. "Hey Bug, could you get a cold washcloth, and glass of water? That would help a lot" he says, with a weak smile as he continues to rub Happy's back.

Sage nods her head, and exits the bathroom, then running towards the kitchen to fetch what they needed.

She's back in just a few moments, carrying a glass, and a washcloth in each hand.

Toby pulls on Happy's shoulders so she's leaning back, flush against his chest, instead of gripping the toilet.

He takes the washcloth and cleans her lips and around her mouth, and folds it to lay on her forehead, then places the glass of water beside him, for when she's ready.

"Thanks sweetie. Go get dressed for school. We'll be out in a few." He says, shooing her out of the bathroom.

She gives him an uncertain look, before turning to exit the bathroom.

"You feeling better baby?" He asks, interlacing his fingers above Happy's abdomen, and whispering in her ear.

"I don't know why you're talking to the kids, wen I'm the one puking my guts out" Happy says in a huff. Finally able to catchy her breath and relax a bit.

"I was talking to you. I would have said babies if I was talking to them" he cooed, rubbing his thumbs against the fabric beneath his fingers.

Happy sighs. "Don't use that pet name then. It'll get too confusing"

Toby chuckles and nods his head, offering her a drink of water.

She takes it, and swallows small tentative sips one at a time. Unsure as to whether or not she'll have to puke again.

"Is your morning sickness usually like that?" He asks, smoothing down her hair.

Happy shakes her head, "no. I only puke a couple of times usually. Today it just kept coming though. It was terrible" she whined. Turning her face so her cheek was rested near Toby's heart.

They sit on the floor for a while, before they realize that they have to get up if they want to get to work on time, and get Sage to school.

Toby steadies Happy as she stands up, and brushes her teeth. Then goes off to get dressed himself.

And it's not long before Happy is agitated again, while she's getting herself ready for the day.

"Ugh! Toby!" Happy grumbles from in front of the mirror.

She had just pulled on her last pair of jeans she's been wearing for the past week to hide her growing belly. But unfortunately they were no longer able to button around her waist.

Her legs were in, and the zipper was undone as the button hang loosely on either side of her.

She sighed in exasperation, and cursed down at her growing belly.

Toby came running out of the

bathroom with his toothbrush in his mouth. "What's wrong Hap?" He asks, glancing at her picture in the mirror.

She grumbled as she turned around to show off her disappointing situation.

"Your children are preventing me from putting on pants" she said, while crossing her arms over her growing chest. "And I also just puked enough to fill up the entire bathtub. I think that should account for something"

Toby's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know how much longer we can hide this Hap. We might want to consider telling everyone" he says, as he heads back to the bathroom to rinse out his mouth and toothbrush.

Happy follows him into the bathroom, while puling off her black jeans in the process.

"I don't want to tell the team yet. Not until I can't hide it anymore" she says.

"You can't hide it anymore! Look at you!" He yells, gesturing with both hands at her protruding belly. "And not to mention the fact that Sage walked in, while you were suffering from an unfortunate case of morning sickness".

She slaps his hands, and growls. Spinning on her heels to march back in their room.

She grabs a pair of black leggings, and one of Toby's oversized sweatshirts. Since she's run out of baggy clothes of her own.

Toby comes out the bathroom, fully dressed and ready to go. He looks her up and down and smirks. "Lazy day?"

"Shut up" she grumbles. Throwing open the door of their bedroom, and walking down the broad hallway.

Sage was sitting on the couch watching cartoons, with her back to them as she waited for them to come out.

Her backpack was sitting next to her and her skateboard was at her feet.

"You ready to go bug?" He asks, smoothing down her hair, and placing a kiss atop her head, and grabbing her backpack with his other hand in the process.

He lifts it over the back of the couch, as Happy grabs the keys from the bowl they keep by the door.

"Yeah" Sage says, a little reluctantly, as she turns off the TV, and grabbing her homemade lunch from the dining table, Toby had made for her last night

They ride the elevator down to the lobby, and walk to the car parked outside.

Sage debates on running back inside, and hiding so she doesn't have to go to school. But sadly she thought of the idea too late, because Toby was pushing her into the backseat, next to her backpack.

She rested her chin on her hand as she stared out the window while they rode to the garage.

"Hey, Hap? You got a dress for my sisters wedding this weekend?" He asks, turning to Happy sitting in the passengers seat. Since she wasn't feeling well enough to drive.

She bangs the heel of her hand on her thigh in frustration. "Dang it! No I haven't! I'll just get Paige to go shopping with me and Sage tonight" she grumbles.

Toby seems to regret bringing up the topic, and pats her hand tapping her knee repeatedly. Intertwining their fingers.

"It's alright, don't stress about it. It'll be fine"

OoOoOo

"Where do you want to eat breakfast Sage?" Happy asks, turning her head and body to look at Sage. Grimacing at the lingering pain in her stomach.

Sage taps her finger on her chin in thought. "I dunno. Can we eat at Kovelskys again? Or are you guys sick of that place?"

Toby nods his approval, and grins. Looking over to Happy for approval.

Happy smirks, and nods her head, as Toby merges into the exit lane, leading to the diner.

"Good thing your favorite breakfast is our favorite kid" Happy laughs.

They make it to the diner in record time, and sit at their regular booth, with their regular waiter; Kiera.

"So what can I get the Curtis family this morning? Same as usual?" She asks with a sunny smile. Same bouncy and excited mood as always.

"For me, yes" Toby says, handing her the menu he didn't even glance at, and sipping at his coffee. Just the way he liked it.

Sage nods her head in agreement, handing her menu to Kiera as well.

But Happy continues to study the menu. "You know...I'm gonna try something different. What about the Jalepeño omelet" she says with a smile, handing off her menu.

Kiera smiles sweetly and writes it down on her pad, before skipping off to the kitchen.

Toby raises an eyebrow at her, over his mug, and sets it down. Studying her face. "You hate spicy food. Why the sudden change?"

Happy gives him a raised eyebrow in response. "You should know...plus, I felt like changing it up a bit" she say with a shrug.

Toby smirks and takes another sip. Then galnces over to Sage with her chin on her arm, while she finishes the puzzle on the kids coloring menu. That she was way too advanced for, but what Kiera gave her anyways.

He smiles down at her, as she continues to ignore their conversation, while she writes out things in her purple crayon.

Toby's phone vibrates in his pocket, then his ringtone blasts throughout the diner, and people turn around to look at them. Giving them weird looks.

Toby fishes out his phone, and answers.

He mouths 'its Paige' to Happy, before standing up and exiting the restaurant to speak, without disrupting the other customers inside.

He hears Paige's calm and tired voice over the phone, as she explains what's going on. "Walter said that Cooper is coming in soon. Apparently it has something to do with Oscar and Barnes' trial. You guys need to be here for the debriefing, since she asked specifically for you and Sage"

Toby purses his lips, and nods his head while Paige talks. He bows his head, and places his other hand in his pocket. "When is Cooper coming in?"

"In about an hour or so. You have time" she says.

Toby continues to nod his head, "okay, we'll be there in about an hour then."

He ends the conversation and stands outside for a little bit, and runs his hand through his hair as he tries to press down the stress racking up in his brain.

After a moment or two he calms his thoughts, and catches his breath, and he walks back inside the diner, and sees both Happy and Sage working together on a very simple number game.

He smiles to himself as he watches the both of them laugh after Happy says a crude remark about a couple sitting a few booths away.

He sits back down, and takes a long sip of his coffee, and leaning his head back against the booth, and closes his eyes.

"What'd Paige want?" Happy asks

His eyes slowly open, as he sits up with a groan. "Cooper is coming in, in about an hour. She's got some info for us or something" he answers with a shrug.

Happy nods her head, and leans to the side to look around him and towards the kitchen, to see if they're food is coming.

When she sees nothing promising she frowns and leans back against the seat. "So...what kind of dress do me and Sage gotta buy for the wedding"

Toby shrugs his shoulders, "I dunno. Something light I guess. I have no clue what my sister is like, or what the color scheme is, if there is one. So just get whatever you want I guess"

Happy nods her head, and taps her fingers on the table, while staring at some random spot on the wall, thinking about who knows what. Neither of them really felt like talking at the moment.

"Finished!" Sage exclaims, with a bright smile on her face.

She turns the paper so both Toby and Happy can see. Toby frowns when he notices nothing different. "What did you finish exactly sweetheart?"

Sage grins, and points to her glass of lemon water. "I used lemon juice, to make an abstract drawing. Look"

She digs in her jean pocket and pulls out a weird pen. Sylvester had bought it for her as a present, and she tinkered with it a bit.

She flips the pen in her hand, and shines light in Toby's eyes for show. "This is a flashlight pen, Sylvester got it for me. 'Just in case I got trapped in a tunnel, and there was no light'" she mocked. "And," she flips a switch, somewhere on the side. "I turned it into a UV light"

She shines the UV on the paper, and a picture is illuminated behind the black ink already typed onto the picture.

Toby shakes his head in amazement. "I don't know how you do it Bug, but that's amazing"

Happy nods along with him, as she continues to look at the detailed drawing. Then she narrows her eyes. "Wait a minute! How did you even get the materials to make a UV light. Some of those chemicals can be dangerous"

Sage put the pen in her pocket, looking a little sheepish. "Uh...just found em...lying around the garage"

Toby squints his eyes, and purses his lips. Before leaning forward. "Sage"

He never used her first name. It was always nicknames like kiddo, Bug, sweetheart, sweet pea, and so on. As soon as he said that, she knew there was no way she was getting out of this pickle.

She rubs the back of her neck, and glances out he window, before looking back at her father. "I may have convinced Uncle Walt"

Toby nods his head and sits back in his seat. "So you're saying that Walter, willingly handed you toxic chemicals without question"

Happy didn't say anything as they both waited patiently for Sage. "No, in Walter's defense, I sort of manipulated him for it. I told him I needed them for an experiment for school. You know how he can't say no to an experiment or education. Sooo..." she trails off, and shrugs her shoulders.

Toby nods his head, and let's out a slow breath, and in all honesty, Sage is sort of scared. Toby was one who usually jumped to conclusions, quick to react, and all in all, not a very calm and collected person. That was more of Happy's forte.

"Uh, Dad...are you okay?"

Toby looks up at her, "oh, yeah. I'm fine"

Sage glances over to Happy, who seems to be just as confused as she was.

"Your sure everything's alright Doc?" She asks, a bit uncertain, "you haven't really made your usual dramatic scene yet"

Toby nods his head, "yes, I'm fine. I trust Walter, and Sage. She can take of herself pretty well, and I should just let her do what she's gonna do" he says though gritted teeth.

Happy and Sage both raise an eyebrow at the same time. They can both tell that he has trouble believing what is actually coming out of his mouth.

Sage looks giddy, "ok then. Does that mean I can go with Uncle Walt to Malawi. He said that the volcanoes there are pretty inter-" Toby's quick to cut her off.

"Let's not go that far"

Happy laughs, and nudges Sage with her elbow. "Don't push him to hard. He might fall"

Sage laughs too, as Toby frowns at them. Mocking there laughter.

Soon there food was there, along with their check Kiera had wrung up for them.

They are in mostly silence as they ate their food. Happy more so than the other two. She ended up picking some food off of Toby's plate, after she had finished her own omlet.

After about the fifth time she reached over for a piece of bacon, Toby grabbed her wrist. "Happy, I love you, but can you please stop taking my food. I need to eat too"

Sage snickers, as Happy frowns, and retracts her hand, but not before grabbing a little piece of his bacon, and putting it in her mouth before he could object.

They finish up, pay, and get into the car, to head off to the garage.

Happy climbs into the drivers seat before Toby could say otherwise. "Happy, are you sure you want to drive. You were just puking your guts up this morning"

Happy scrunched up her face in disgust, as she starts the engine. "Don't remind me"

They reach the garage pretty quickly, since Kovelskys isn't that far from it. They have about half an hour before the kids have to head off to school, so their pretty close to on time.

When they reach their destination, Colby's up, and in the kitchen. Sipping at a coffee, Cabe had made for him. He was sitting on the counter, talking to Ralph and Aiden, sitting at the kitchen table across from him.

Sage runs over to join the group, while Toby and Happy continue into the garage and to their designated desks.

As soon as Toby sits in his chair, Paige is at his desk. Both hands placed on it, as she leans towards him.

He raises his brow at her, and she begins talking. "Walters been acting weird all morning. Especially after he got that call from Cabe. I think something might be wrong, he keeps asking Ralph about Sage and... I think it might be about that trial" Paige says, lowering her voice to a whisper at the last part.

Toby narrows his eyes, "it might also have to do with the fact that he handed over toxic chemicals to an 11 year old girl" he says, a bit louder than necessary. Just so Walter could hear.

"It was purely for a scientific experiment, and education" he hears him call from the loft.

He descends with a file in his hand, and a mess of hair and clothes, he looks very out of the ordinary.

"See what I mean" Paige says, gesturing to her mess of a boyfriend.

Toby shrugs his shoulders, and shakes his head. "I honestly have no idea what his problem is"

When Walter's on the ground floor, he begins walking towards Toby's desk, about to start up a conversation. And Toby can tell by the way he raises a finger and opens his mouth, as if he was going to make a point.

The door to the garage swings open before he can get anything out. And Cabe, along with Cooper struts in.

Colby, Sage, and Aiden hadn't met Cooper yet. They've heard of her, but hadn't been around the garage enough to actually meet in person. They were usually off at school, or just not around in general.

Sage walks up, rather cautiously, and stands up straight next to Walter. "She Cooper?" She whispers.

Walter nods his head, and folds his hands behind his back.

"Deputy Director Cooper, how nice it is to see you again" Toby says, tipping his hat, and getting up from his seat, and walking to stand next to the rest of the team.

"You too Dr. Tobias" she says, before turning her attention over to Sage. "You must be Sage" she says, sticking out her hand with a sweet smile.

Sage steps forward and shakes her hand, before stepping back in line with Walter.

Cooper smiles at her, before glancing over at Toby. "I will say, that you two do look quite alike"

Happy walks up next to Toby, with a smirk "don't insult her" she says, elbowing Toby in the ribs playfully.

Toby chuckles under his breath, and Sage gives a weak smile. She can tell that Cooper is about to drop a bomb on them, and it's making her very uncomfortable.

Cooper glances around the garage. "Which one is Aiden?" She asks, looking between Colby and Aiden, still in the kitchen.

Colby juts his thumb over to Aiden, who's mindlessly reading a book he had found who knows where. Tapping his fingers, and fiddling with the corners of the pages.

Toby grunts in annoyance. He had been doing so well, with keeping Aiden's attention in check. He'd gotten as far as getting him to pay attention, or even look up when he heard his name being called from anyone. Not just the people he knew.

They had been working on it for weeks, in their individual sessions. Now, he's back to where he was. All that work for nothing.

"Aiden!" Sage calls a bit louder, and Aiden perks up from his book, and glances around at all the people staring at him.

He doesn't move from his seat, he just looks up, waves at Sage, and looks back down at his book.

Cooper nods her head, with lowered eyebrows. "Well, I don't know whether this news I'm about to tell you is good or bad...but they're having a retrial for Dr. Barnes in a month. He claimed it wasn't a fair trial originally, since he did not have any proper or 'fit' witnesses. And that the government had forced him into it. Claiming entrapment. And it is in a way, with the special circumstances with the congressman and other government officials. "

Toby's face drops instantly into a frown, along with the rest of the teams. Except Cabe and Walter's, who were already frowning in the first place.

"So...Homeland is requesting that you, Dr. Curtis, Sage, and Aiden all stand in as witnesses for the events that occurred. There are no others that have the knowledge of the case, or personal connection"

Toby's nostrils flare, "and if we refuse?"

Cooper frowns at the statement, mimicking Toby's features. "Well, I do not have much control over the matter; but if you refuse there is a chance you will be receiving jail time. Sage and Aiden on the other hand have a choice, since they are minors. But I strongly advise that they do, that way there is less of a chance for an appeal"

Toby frowns some more, if that were even possible. Along with Happy with her arms crossed over her chest.

Sage bites at her lip while she thinks about the issue. It doesn't take long before she answers confidently. "I'll do it"

"No you most certainly will not" Toby objects, straight away. The team chorus their agreements, with nodding heads, and muffled statements. The whole situation has already created enough emotional stress for her, no need to add on to the pile.

Sage scowls, "this is my decision. And if I can help put away Barnes for what he did, for good. Then I will do it. Without question"

Colby had been listening the whole time, and now he's standing next to Sage, and he places a hand on her lower back. "Why don't you think about this, before you make your decision" he coaxed gently. Knowing good and well what her reaction might be.

Sage spins on her heel. "No! Deanna raised me to do the right thing, and so have all of you," she says, pointing to each member of the team, "This is the right thing to do, and that is why I am going to do it" she stomps her foot on the ground for emphasis.

Ralph had followed Colby into the main room, and stands in front of Sage. "Sage, its okay. Toby has by far enough against him to put him away for a very long time. There's no need for you to go in too."

"But there is a need," she says it softer this time, and looks around at everyone standing around her. "None of you except me an Aiden know what it's like to be in there. None of you can imagine or begin to comprehend the fear and pain we had throughout that whole experience. The things they did to us, was cruel and inhumane, and no one should ever have to go through that. And I have lived every day of my life since then in fear, that one day, all this would disappear, and I'll be back in that retched place. It's haunted me from day one, and will continue to haunt me the rest of my life. But I can ease the pain, if I get some closure. And that means knowing that 'I' am the one that put him away for good, and 'I' am the one who looks him in the face one last time as he leaves the courtroom. 'I'm' the one that needs this"

Everyone looks very moved by her speech, and they should be, because they all knew it was true.

Cooper looks sympathetic, and Sage can tell that she regrets telling her about the trial in the first place.

Toby nods his head, and purses his lips. He opens his arms to her, and she slowly walks up to him, with her head bowed, and presses her face into his shirt.

She doesn't cry, she doesn't whine, she just stands there and hugs him, while Toby wraps his own arms around her back.

"Thank You Cooper for coming by. We'll be at the trial" he says, with a soft smile, and wave goodbye as she leaves.

Sage pulls away from Toby's embrace and disappears to the back of the garage until it was time to go. She didn't really want to stick around for the pity party.

Even Ralph knew better than to follow her at the moment. She just needed to let out some steam for a little while.

"No punching bag" Happy calls out, remembering the last time. She didn't need to be missing anymore days of school than she needed to this week.

She hears a muffled reply, and is satisfied enough that she heads back to her desk to tinker on a project she's been making for Sage's upcoming birthday.

She didn't know it, but Toby had told her the date, and the team wanted to surprise her on her first birthday with them.

Everyone looks kind of mopey as they work around each other, until it's time for them to take the kids to school.

Walter volunteers to drive them, because he claims that 'Toby has too much things he needs to catch up on, and he'd rather him be focused on that for the day.'

Toby grumbles, and sticks his tongue out at him when he turns his back to his desk.

Walter grabs his keys from his desk, and calls for the kids. "Let's go. I need to take you all to school on time. So let's hurry it up" he claps his hands together loudly for effect.

"They aren't military drones kid. No need for all that" Cabe snickers, sipping his coffee, and leaning against the counter as the kids file past him.

Toby counts three heads instead of four, and looks around for Sage. Eventually she emerges from the back with a scowl on her face.

Cabe pats her head as she passes, "Buck up kiddo" he says, grinning at her.

Walter's holding the door patiently, while the team yells their encouragement. "Smile sweetie!" Paige says, giving her a quick hug. "Be good" Toby doesn't forget to yell, along with Happy yelling "don't take any crap" not long after.

When she reaches the door she can hear the last comment from Sylvester. Which actually makes her laugh and smile, "and don't forget to wash your hands, you don't want to get sick just before your trip"

Walter places a hand on her backpack as he gently pushes her out the door. And out towards where the cars are parked.

She climbs in the back with Colby and Aiden, since Ralph had already called shotgun.

The ride to the elementary school to drop off Aiden was short, and the ride to the middle school was even shorter.

OoOoOo

The whole day mostly consisted of walking sitting, and listening to boring teachers rant about monomials and the cell cycle.

Sage's frown was prominent for most of the day, while Colby and Ralph both hung back a ways to give her the needed space.

Colby had waved bye to Ralph as he headed off to their last class of the day. Gym. While Ralph opened up his locker to grab his own gym clothes.

He glances around, looking for Sage, who had at some point disappeared from his side. Where she had seemed to be attached most of the day.

He was able to spot her a little ways down the hallway talking to a boy. He was tall with messy black hair in his blue eyes. He looked nice from a distance, and Ralph had no reason to dislike him, but seeing the way he was able to make Sage smile for the first time all day, flipped a switch in him, and for one of the first times in his whole life he understood what the term jealousy really meant. Just by watching as Sage laughed at something he said, and didn't have her arms crossed over her chest to block herself off from him. It felt like a harsh blow to the gut, and he now knows how Walter must have felt after Tim came around with his mother.

He waits patiently for the conversation to end between the two, so he could politely interrupt and walk with Sage to their next class.

When he steps in, Sage gives him a weak smile that he can tell isn't genuine. "Ralph, I want you to meet Jett. He said that he just moved here, and Ms. Courtney asked me to help him out last period. I think you guys would get along, he really likes cars and rockets"

Ralph raises an eyebrow and nods his head, before grabbing Sage's hand, and pulling her away, and down the hall. "What're you doing?" She asks, noticing his rush.

"I didn't like him" he says. He can fell Sage's hand slip out of his, and he looks behind him to see Sage glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

"So I'm not allowed to have any friends besides you. Just because you don't like someone means I can't hang around them?" she accuses.

Ralph steps towards her, and tries to smooth the situation out. "That's not what I meant"

"Then what did you mean!" She asks, stomping her foot harshly on the ground. Drawing attention from a few that still hadn't made it to class yet.

"I was just trying to get us to class on time" he says, gesturing down the hallway, and then at his watch. Indicating that they only had two minutes to make it to the gym across the campus.

Sage straightens her backpack strap, and huffed under her breath before taking off. Despite the schools policy against running in the hallways.

Ralph groans, and takes off after, but not quite as fast.

It turned out that Jett had gym with them, along with Colby and a few other upperclassmen.

He could tell by the way Sage was glaring at him during the dodgeball game that she was severely pissed at him, and if she had a ball in her hand, she'd gladly introduce it to his face.

Colby seemed to take notice of Sage's mood too, and jumps over towards Ralph to block a ball flying towards his chest. He catches it, and throws it back at the guy snickering at them, hitting him squarely in the jaw, and knocking him backwards a few feet.

"Hey, why is Sage so pissed at you" he asks, catching another ball that was thrown at him.

Ralph shrugs his shoulders, and steps to the side while the red rubber ball flies past his face. "I told her I didn't like her new friend Jett, and she freaked out"

Colby raises an eyebrow. "You what now?!"

Ralph gives him a sideways glance. Unsure of which part of what he said he didn't understand.

"I said-" Colby interrupts him, and grabs him by the shoulder, shaking him just a little. "Dude, you can't tell Sage what she can and cannot do. Especially when it comes to other people. Cause she knows that she's got a good sense for whose a good person and whose not"

Ralph's nose scrunched up in confusion. "But I wasn't telling her to do anything. I just said I didn't like him" he argues.

Colby sighs and shakes his head, glancing up at Sage leaning her back against the wall as the balls flew through the air.

"Alright, tell me exactly how you said it, and how it came up"

Colby listened carefully as Ralph repeats exactly what he said, and exactly what Sage said and how she reacted.

Colby grunts in annoyance after catching a ball in his gut.

"Well, the way you made it sound is you were jealous, and being all controlling. But because of the way you stupid geniuses," he pause to look over at him, "no offense, process emotions, Sage probably had no clue you were. She just thinks you were telling her she couldn't hang out with the Jett guy"

Ralph hung his head, "how am I supposed to apologize then. I don't want her to be mad at me"

Colby laughs and claps him on the back, "it's alright buddy. New relationships are always rough" he chuckles, as Ralph glares at him, and hits his arm.

"I'm serious Colby! How do I apologize? You know her better than anyone else"

Colby laughs some more, as the coach blows the whistle, signaling the end of the period.

They all trudge to their locker rooms. The boys to theirs and the girls to their own.

They get changed as Colby explains how to win back Sage.

"First off, you gotta put some thought into it. That way she'll know you really mean it. You can't just go up to her and say sorry and expect things to go back to normal" he says, pulling off the sweaty gym shirt over his head, and pulling on his fresh one.

"She will know if you're sincere or not. She's got this weird mind reading thing going for her. Sorta like Toby...I guess that's where she got it from" he says.

If Ralph had a notepad he would probably be taking notes as Colby tells him the stories of how he had to apologize to Sage, or convince her to do something. But instead of taking notes, he has to get dressed.

A couple minutes before the release bell sounded, Jett walked over to the two of them and stuck out his hand. "Hey, I'm Jett. I heard you talking about Sage. I've already met Ralph, but are you her friend too?"

Colby gives him a grin, and shake of the hand, giving him a slap on the back, and giving him a sideways hug, and grinning at Ralph. "What you talking about Ralph, I love this guy"

Ralph tries to appear nice, and friendly, but it's pretty difficult. So he just keeps his normal straight face.

The bell rings and the rowdy boys in their class file out like a stampede of elephants. The three of them wait until it clears up.

"My names Colby, I'm basically Sage's older brother" he says, walking beside him as Ralph trails behind.

He scowls to himself, as he's replaced once again by Jett. Even the name sounded sour on his tongue.

Sage is waiting patiently outside their locker room like she does every day. She smiles brightly when she sees Jett, and Colby falls behind next to Ralph so they can walk and talk together.

Colby nudges him while they walk. "I don't know why you don't like him, he seems like a great guy"

Ralph ignores him, as Sage giggles at something Jett says. Sage never giggles, especially in public.

Colby finally realizes what's going on, and looks between the two.

Ralph looks up at him, with a sad face. "I can't even make her smile like that"

Colby has trouble not frowning with him, because he felt his pain. But he still tries to reassure him. "It's alright. I'm sure it's just a phase, and she'll be over him soon" he says, softly enough so Sage and Jett couldn't hear, "but for now, try and be friendly with Jett, that'll get you on her good side"

Ralph grunts a reply, and continues following down the hallways, while Jett and Sage playfully argue in front of him.

They reach the entrance, and spot Paige's car waiting for them. Jett waves goodbye as he hops in his own ride. Then they climb into their ride home.

All three of them are quiet, while Paige talks about something stupid Sage's parents had done that day at the garage, and about taking Sage and Happy out shopping for dresses.

Colby nudges Sage sitting beside him in the back. "Never seen you in a dress before" he smirks.

Sage rolls her eyes, and pushes his arm away from her. "I've never worn one stupid"

Colby laughs, while Paige gasps. "You've never worn a dress before?!"

Sage shakes her head. She didn't like where this conversation seemed to be heading.

"Well, we're just going to have to buy you the worlds most beautiful dress, to make this special" she grins excitedly, parking the car in front of the garage.

Inside...

Happy can feel Walter staring at them, but at the moment she didn't really care. She leans up on her tippy toes and cups Toby's cheek with one hand while giving him a long kiss.

He drops his head down closer to hers, and wraps his arms around her waist.

When she pulls away, she can sees the dazed look in his eyes. "You do know we're in the garage" he asks, rather huskily, raising his eyebrows just a bit, while her hands wander to the back of the neck, and play with his hair.

She leans over his shoulder to whisper in his ear. "I honestly don't care" she says, giving him a little nip on the ear.

She chuckles when she sees Walter's face turn bright pink, as he picks up the pile of papers he had dropped.

Cabe had left as soon as they started getting handsy. And Sly was riding the bus to pick up Aiden at school, his teacher had wanted to talk with him about something.

So it was just them, and Walter.

Happy kissed at Toby's neck, just beneath his jaw, and Toby closed his eyes as he grinned, and hummed in pleasure.

The door to the garage opened, and Happy didn't jump away from him like she usually did when someone was about to walk in on them.

He leans his head away from her to see who it was, and she improvises by kissing his chest through his shirt, and sliding her hands slowly into his back pockets.

She hears a little yip of surprise from Toby when she does, and that seems to encourage her, as she chuckles into his chest. So she leans up to kiss him again, but he lifts his head high enough where she can't reach him easily. "Happy there are children entering the garage" he whispers, a bit unsure of Happy's new attitude towards PDA.

He was all for it, in front of adults, but when the kids started coming in, that's when he became a little 'eh'.

"It's alright," she purrs, "they're not really as innocent as we think" she says kissing his neck, trying to convince him it's okay.

He can hear the hurried footsteps to the kitchen behind his back, as Happy tries stepping closer to him, trapping him between her body and her workbench.

Toby grabs her wrists, and slowly removes them from his pockets, and then he twists his body and backs up, out of her workstation.

He brings her knuckles to his lips, to give them a quick kiss. "Later Love. I promise. Now just isn't the right time" he says, with a sweet smile.

He knows exactly why she was acting like this, and he knew that if she was herself, she would be really really pissed. It wasn't all because she was pregnant, but that did have a big impact on her actions.

He lets go of her hands and turns to walk back to his desk.

He can see Walter's visible sigh of relief as he passes by.

What he doesn't notice, is Happy following him over to his desk.

He sits down, and throws his feet up on the desk, spinning to face her. "Yes, Sweetie?"

Happy doesn't say anything as she circles the desk, and crawls into Toby's lap.

Leaning her back against his chest, and stretching her legs out on top of his, leaning her head against his chest and neck.

He was absolutely and terribly confused. Even the new, and pregnant Happy wouldn't do something this personal and intimate around anyone but him, and maybe Sage; that's it.

He glances over at Walter, and laughed, when he saw his hanging mouth, as he stared at them. He apparently is surprised by the new Happy as well, and he couldn't seem to figure it out.

Happy ignores both of them, and turns her head, so she can kiss Toby's jaw, "I love you" she whispers, before closing her eyes.

Toby kisses the top of her head, "love you too"

In the kitchen, things aren't exactly normal, and Paige can tell.

The whole day has pretty much been Opposite Day. With Happy showing so much affection, and Sage being so quiet. Along with Sylvester's newfound bravery in certain matters. It was all starting to mess with her head.

Sage was sitting quietly next to Colby, while Ralph was helping prepare the ice cream Paige had promised them in the car.

She opened the freezer to see 3 cartons of ice cream. She didn't remember buying that much ice cream, especially not triple chocolate fudge. She's been trying to buy healthier snacks.

She shrugs, and places the vanilla ice cream carton onto the counter next to wear Ralph had out the bowls.

She opened the fridge next to grab the chocolate syrup. She was about to close it again, when she noticed something. There was a total of 5 large jars of pickles on the top rack.

"Why are there so many pickles in here" she asks, picking one up, and turning it over, just to be sure she wasn't hallucinating.

Sage replied without looking up from her homework she had busied herself with. "Those are Happy's. she's been craving pickles and ice cream like crazy. It's honestly kind of gross."

It all starts clicking together in Paige's mind, as she closes the fridge rather slowly, and places the chocolate syrup on the counter.

Happy's baggy clothes, she's been wearing for a good week or two. Happy's new Found rules on PDA, and finally her cravings for sweet and salty, or...dill...her craving was really odd, but she didn't really care at the moment, because Happy freaking Quinn was pregnant.

She almost drops the jar of pickles in her hand, as she gasps. "Happy!" She yells, running out from the kitchen to go find the mechanic.

The three left in the kitchen have no clue what Paige's freak out was about, and they didn't really care either at the moment. They already had enough on their mind as is.

Ralph finishes with Colby's bowl of ice cream, and places it in front of him. It takes him a couple more minutes to fix Sage's, and she becomes suspicious when she sees he's fiddling with her snack at the counter.

He looks a little nervous when he places the bowl in front of her, and hurriedly turns around to grab his own bowl and spoon.

Sage tries not to smile and keep a straight face when she sees what Ralph spelled out with chocolate syrup. He had flattened her ice cream to give himself a clean, white surface to write on.

'I'm Sorry' was written in cursive, and she couldn't hold back the smile that spread across her face..

She stands up, and stalks towards Ralph and gives him a big hug. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk earlier"

Ralph smiles over her shoulder at Colby, who's giving him a big thumbs up. "It's fine. I probably shouldn't have said anything about Jett"

Sage pulls back, and holds him by the shoulders, "but I'm still pissed at you" she points out, before letting go of him, and going back to eat her ice cream. So hopefully everything is pretty much back to normal. At least that's how it seemed at the moment. They talk and bicker about everything, about the stupidest stuff.

They completely forgot about Paige's weird facade over Happy.

She had strut right up to Toby's desk, and doesn't blink an eye when he sees their position. "Why didn't you tell me!" She insists, pointing an accusing finger at the two of them.

Happy looks innocently up at Toby, unsure of what exactly he had done this time. "Don't look at me, I didn't do anything"

Happy sits up in his lap, and swings her feet down. Pushing them away from the desk, and knocking Toby's feet down in the process.

She stands up to face Paige, with arms crossed over her chest, "what exactly do you know Dineen"

Paige lowers her voice so no one else can overhear, and pokes Happy in the shoulder. "I know you are pregnant, and you didn't tell me about it"

Happy's eyes widen, and her arm wraps around her abdomen absentmindedly. Toby bolts up from his relaxed position in his chair. "How the heck did you figure that out?!"

Both women shush him, when Walter looks over at the group of them suspiciously.

"I just figured it out. And I should have figured it out a while ago." Paige sighs. "First is your choice of clothes," she gestures to Happy's leggings, and Toby's baggy sweatshirt she had borrowed for the day, "plus all the affection in the garage. You hate it when Toby even touches you in the garage, let alone make out with him in the wide open. And the fact that your craving a weird salty sweet combination of pickles and ice cream." It was Paige's turn to cross her arms in front of her chest, as she puffed out her cheeks.

"If anyone was going to figure it out, it was going to be you Paige" Happy sighs, giving up on the conversation, "but yeah, I'm pregnant"

Paige drops her arms, and looks giddy. "How far along are you?"

"About 15 weeks" Happy says, shrugging her shoulders. "My stomach isn't that big yet, and I just ran out of pants. I've been manipulating the button and zipper for days now, but this morning it just didn't work."

Paige nods in understanding, and both Happy and Toby can tell she wants to announce it to everyone, but she doesn't. Thank goodness.

"Have you guys told Sage yet?"

Happy looks a bit sheepish, and Toby rubs the back of his neck, attempting to remove himself from the conversation. "No, we haven't told her yet. We don't know how to tell her without her freaking out"

Paige sighed and shook her head, before grabbing Toby's sleeve and dragging him back behind the desk, from where he was trying to escape. "You're a part of this to mister"

Toby throws his hands up defensively, "I'm not the one pregnant"

Happy glares at him, "yes, but you're the one who got the pregnant lady pregnant. So you're staying,"

Toby sighs, knowing not to argue with her during her frequent mood swings. Only two minutes ago she was all snugly and kissy, and now, just one wrong move could tick her off.

Paige gets right back to the matter at hand. "You two need to tell her. It's better if she hears it from you, rather than her finding out herself. Trust me"

Toby nods in agreement, and Happy grunts in annoyance. "I guess your right. I'll tell her tonight"

Toby's eyes bug out of his skull. "Whoah whoah whoah, hang on. By tonight do you mean while you girls are out shopping, or tonight as in, with me back at the apartment. Cause I feel I need to be there for this conversation"

Happy rolls her eyes. "I'm not an idiot Doc. I wouldn't tell her without you there. We can tell her when we get home this evening. You have to go out to the office tonight anyway. Everything will work out"

Toby scrunched up his nose at the distasteful thought of going back to that stupid office. But he's got to keep working, because they've been low on cases lately, which in the long run means; low on money.

Paige nods along as they converse about the matter, and waits until their done to butt in. "Are you ready to go Happy? The sooner we get going the sooner we'll get back"

Happy nods her head, and pushes Toby back a few steps so she can walk around her desk. Toby's leaning down to give her a kiss goodbye, but she backslaps him in the stomach. "What'd I say about PDA in the garage" she glares.

"Bu-but you were just" Toby sees her raise her eyebrow, "I was just what" she threatens, with a frown.

Toby groans, and collapses in his chair, "never mind. Have fun"

He waves her off, and looks at the various objects scattered across his desk in annoyance.

He dropped his head back and groaned. Tonight was going to be a long night.

OoOoOo

Long after the girls had left, Toby still hadn't moved. Despite the fact that he had a 4:00 appointment, with a very rich man. And he knows very well that he shouldn't be late.

He's about to pack up his things, when Ralph walks tentatively up to his desk, his hands folded behind his back, much like how Walter does.

"Uncle Toby? Can I get your help with something?" Ralph asks sheepishly.

Toby smiles, and checks his watch before nodding, "if it can be done in under 15 minutes, of course"

Ralph smiles, and Toby clears a spot on his desk for him to sit at. He hops up onto the desk, letting his feet hang, as Toby gets comfortable in his chair.

"What's bothering you little man?" He asks.

"It's about a girl...again" Ralph says, looking down and playing with his hands.

Toby waggled his eyebrows at him, "ooh, you like her"

Ralph nods, and continues to avoid eye contact. "She's my friend, but I think she likes somebody else. They're new to the school, and we used to hang out a lot, but now she just talks to him"

Toby frowns, because he knows exactly how he feels. "Well, buddy. How good of friends are you. School friends? Or you and Sage friends?"

Ralph pretends to think about it, because there was no way he was ever going to tell Toby he had a crush on his daughter.

"Sorta like me and Sage friends" he says, nodding to finalize his answer.

He can tell by the way Toby's looking at him, that he knows he's hiding something. But he's thankful when he doesn't say anything about it.

"So what do I do?" He asks

"Well, what's she like. Describe her"

This is where things got tricky. If he gave too much information, Toby would know right away who it was, if he didn't already know. So treading likely was the best option.

"She's really pretty, and closed off to a lot of people. She can be nice when she wants to, and really mean if you get her mad. She has a really pretty smile, and beautiful eyes..." Ralph momentarily forgets that he's speaking to the resident shrink, and fans over Sage for a moment or two, out loud.

Toby grabs him by the shoulders with a grin, to stop his talking. "Alright little man. You are lovestruck. I'm happy to say it. I don't think you'll have any problem winning her over. All girls like to be chased, they like proof that you'll stick around, instead of give up when things get rough. And by the way you were fawning over her, I can tell you aren't giving up on her anytime soon. You just have to use that to your advantage"

Ralph nods along, as he absorbs what Toby is saying. "So, how do I tell her I like her, without actually telling her?"

Toby laughs, "I'm afraid it doesn't work like that little man. Some girls are just really oblivious, and you have to spell it out for them. Others, will pick up on the tiny things, and figure it out themselves right away. It just depends on what type of girl she is"

Ralph nods, and messes with his fingers some more, while he thinks. "Do you think she'll like me?"

Toby arches a brow, "that depends, do you think she'll like you?"

Ralph sulks. "No"

Toby straightens his shoulders, and lifts his chin. "See. That right there. That's your problem. You have to be confident, you have to face your fear. Girls really like guys who know what they want and aren't afraid to work for it"

Ralph smiles a bit, before hopping off the desk, "thanks so much Toby. This helped a lot" he runs off back to the kitchen, to begin writing down what he just learned, and the best way to apply it to his dilemma.

Toby chuckles to himself when he runs off, and pulls his messenger bag over his head, and grabs his spare shirt hanging behind his desk.

"Poor Ralph. He has no clue that she already adores him so much" he mumbles to himself, thinking about the way he and Sage interact, and what they do together. He can tell, and so can everybody else, just not the two of them. Typical love story.

With the girls...

Trying on dresses was tiring, Sage could already tell and she hadn't even tried on any yet. They've been focused solely on Happy the past hour, because there were no dresses her size in the store they were in.

Happy had just walked into the changing room with a beautiful light purple dress, and she still hadn't come out yet.

Sage throws back her head in her chair and groans. Today was anything but relaxing and stress free, while Paige fiddles with her phone next to her, without a care in the world.

She looks over to see Sage's frustrated expression.

"I can tell you're upset, what's eating you" she asks, pivoting her body so she's sitting sideways in her chair; facing Sage.

Sage glances over at her, and sits up after a moment or two. "I'm having trouble in school again"

Paige nods, but doesn't say anything. She knows if she does, the young genius will clam up pretty quickly. She's had experience with that.

"The work is too easy, and the kids are so mean, and I still have trouble being myself," Sage pauses for a moment as she sighs, and hangs her head. "But today, I met this really nice guy. He's new, and I don't really know what to think of him. He seems a bit...too nice. If you know what I mean"

Now it was time for Paige to talk, "I understand. You're not sure if he's faking it or not"

Sage nods her head vigorously, "exactly!"

"What do your instincts tell you" she asks, resting her chin in her palm.

"I don't know. I want to think that he's a good guy, but I just-I don't know" Sage puts her head in her hands, in frustration.

"All this stuff from this morning, and today. It's all just starting to pile up, and I wish it would all just go away"

Paige rubs her back while they sit in silence for a while, as Sage digs the heels of her hands into her eyes.

She feels a hand in her hair, and a familiar voice. "What's wrong kiddo?" Happy asks, with the purple dress draped over her arm.

Sage smiles up at her, that she's almost for sure is fake. "Nothing. Just a bit tired is all"

Happy doesn't believe her of course, but doesn't press the issue.

"How did the dress fit?" Paige asks, taking the dress out of her arms, and holding it up against her to get a vague idea.

"It's the best yet. This is the one I'm buying" she says with a smile.

Paige claps her hands in excitement, "thank goodness. I don't think I could've spent another minutes in this place" she says, grabbing both their hands and dragging them to the nearest cashier.

It's takes a little walking, and a little searching, but they eventually find a section of dresses made just for Sage's size.

Paige starts piling dress after dress in her arms, and Happy awkwardly looks through the racks of clothes, to at least pretend she knows how to shop for her own daughter.

Sage sits patiently in a chair near the waiting room, looking down at her phone.

After a couple minutes, Paige saunters up, holding a dress in front of her body, so Sage could see. "What about this one?"

Sage shakes her head, "the hips are too wide"

Paige's nose scrunched up, as she examines it herself, and sure enough the hips were quite wide for Sage's figure.

This went on for a couple minutes. 'Sleeves too baggy,' 'dress too long,' 'dress too short'. And there's only two left that Paige had set aside, that both Sage and Happy had approved of.

Sage tried both on. She tried on a short grey dress, flaring out at the hips, but she didn't like it that much.

Happy didn't either, and she shook her head when she stepped out the changing room to model it for them.

The next one was a pretty beige dress. Thin sleeves, and a tight top. It hugged her stomach and shoulders well, then fell loosely around her legs.

She smiled at herself in the mirror, and for the first time in a while, admired herself. She didn't get to do that very often.

She stepped out slowly, trying to hide a grin, and biting her lip as she watched Paige's hand fly to her mouth, and Happy's eyes widen a bit comically.

"Oh my gosh Sage" Paige says slowly. Standing in her chair to wrap her arms around her. "You are so beautiful in that dress"

Sage blushes, and looks down at her feet when Paige lets go. "That ones a keeper" Happy commented from behind her, with a grin.

Sage nodded happily, and rushed back into the stall to put back on her clothes so they could purchase it and go home.

She's never been excited to go somewhere where it requires formal clothing, but she's been looking forward to this trip ever since her father confirmed that they would be going. She couldn't wait to meet her family, all of them, and she didn't care if they were all jerks, because she was sort of one herself. It sort of runs in the family.

On the way to the checkout line, they pass by the baby section, and there's little onesies hanging on a rack, facing the aisle.

"Aww, look at this one" Happy says, stopping to hold up a cute onesie saying 'you can do this dad' with arrows pointing to the various openings in the clothing. Labeling which body part went where. Happy laughs hysterically. "This is hilarious. I need to send this to Toby" she giggles while pulling out her phone.

Sage looks at her weirdly, while Paige grins, watching her snap a picture of the light blue onesie.

"You should totally buy that. It's adorable" Paige coos from beside her, oblivious to the fact that Sage is standing right there.

"You do know that I am a little bit too big for that onesie right?" She says, raising an eyebrow, as Happy delves deeper into the onesie section.

Paige looks over at her, and gives a sheepish smile before throwing a thumbs up to Happy. "Let's go buy that dress, and let your mom look at the onesies"

Sage is confused. "Why, there's no baby at the garage. Why would she want to look at baby clothes"

Paige sighs, as she leads her farther away from the baby section. "All woman love looking at baby clothes. There so cute"

Sage doesn't seem to believe her, so she just goes along with it, and steps in line. "Okaaay, whatever you say"

They meet up with Happy at the entrance of the mall, and she's holding a new bag in her arms, with a smile.

"What's in there?" Sage asks, pointing to the bag, hanging on her left arm.

Happy's quick to lie, "just some cool stuff. I'll show you when we get home." She says, winking over at Paige, and letting Sage lead them through the parking lot, and to Paige's car.

Paige drops the two of them off at their apartment, because Toby was out at his office, and probably wouldn't be home until later.

They drop the things on the couch, and Happy pulls Sage into the kitchen, when she sees her turn to head to her room. "Nuh-uh. Your helping me with dinner"

Sage grins, and fakes a groan of annoyance, as Happy hands her an elastic to pull her hair back with. And an apron to keep her shirt clean from the flour.

"Let's make some pizza" Happy laughs, putting her own hair up, and changing her black shirt.

Sage gets busy pulling out the ingredients, while Happy pulls up the recipe on her phone.

They both stand back and look at their ingredients. "Alright, so all we need to figure out is the fastest way to make the dough rise" Happy says, glancing around the apartment for anything that would be useful.

"Sage, you start measuring and mixing, while I make the rising contraption"

Sage is quick to do her measurements, and Happy explains what she's doing as she builds the small device on the kitchen table.

"The yeast in the bread thrives in sugar. So as the sugars are metabolized, carbon dioxide and alcohol are released into the bread dough, making it rise. This will quicken the process, by inserting more amounts of carbon dioxide into the dough, and refrigerating it at the exact temperature. And it should rise completely in at least 5 minutes"

Sage nods along, "I will make a larger portion, so the carbon dioxide won't overpower the alcohol, and cause it to mutate" she says, pouring all the ingredients into the bowl. Some of the flour flying up and powdering her face.

Happy grins up at her, "that's my girl"

Sage grins back, and they both work on their designated tasks, until Toby gets home from the office.

He walks in the door, carrying his messenger bag in his hand, and toeing out of his shoes.

He was wearing a somewhat fancy suit, in order to look like an appropriate psychiatrist. Dark jeans with a jacket.

Both Happy and Sage look up from the dough they were just beating the crap out of, and smile at Toby with their powdery white faces.

Sage claps her hands together quickly to get rid of most of the dust, and runs up to give him a big hug. "Daddy's home" she yells, mimicking the voice of a five year old girl, and throwing her arms around his waist.

Toby chuckles, as he loosened his annoying tie, and sheds his jacket. Throwing them both onto the couch, next to their bags. Leaving him in a white button up, and jeans.

"You got me all floury" he giggles, as Sage purposefully rubs her powdery hands all over his face.

Toby scrunched up his nose and mouth, as she runs her hands all over.

She laughs as she finishes, and Toby picks her up, and spins her real quick, before placing her back on her feet.

She runs of back to the kitchen, to help continue beating the dough.

"So, what are we making?" He asks, rolling up his sleeves, leaning in the counter, and watching as Happy drops flour onto the already messy counter, and throws the blob of dough into it.

"Pizza" Sage yells happily. Throwing her hands in the air.

Toby laughs and pokes her nose, after stealing an olive sitting off to the side, and popping it into his mouth.

"Hey" Sage laughs, grabbing her own olive, and placing it in her own mouth.

"Alright children. Calm down and let's make some pizza" Happy chastises, with a playful grin.

"Yes ma'am"

They finish making the pizza, but it isn't without a couple minor food fights. Mostly consisting of flour and cheese, but they eventually get it into the oven.

Happy sends Sage to the bathroom to shower while the pizza cooks in the oven, and she skips off to grab her pjs.

Toby and Happy lay on the couch while she showers. Happy's head is in his lap, as he massages her head, with one hand, and laying his other on her small bump of a stomach Sage still hadn't noticed.

"I saw that onesie you sent me" he chuckles.

Happy smiles up at him, "what'd you think"

"In all honesty. I found it offensive, but it was pretty hilarious"

Happy grins, and closes her eyes. "I knew you would like it. That's why I went ahead and bought it. I just couldn't help myself"

Toby leans down and kisses her nose. "I should've known you'd pick that one... but my real question is: did you find any dresses?"

Happy nods, and hums, when he begins massaging the back of her neck. "Yep. Sage really looks pretty in her dress"

Toby nods, "she looks beautiful without a dress"

Happy laughs and nods along with him, "this is true"

He kisses her forehead, "and so do you by the way" he says.

Happy smiles up at him again. For some reason she just couldn't stop smiling today, despite the unsettling news they had received earlier that morning. It was like she was under a happy spell, and she never wanted it to go away.

The timer went off, and an annoying beeping sound filled the air. Disrupting her thoughts, and just around the time Sage came out of her room, and running down the stairs.

Happy was already in the kitchen, pulling the pizza out, and Sage was pulling Toby by the hand, towards the kitchen. "Come on! I'm starving"

Toby chuckles, as he stumbles along after her.

Happy slices the pizza, while Toby and Sage both wait patiently at the set table. She walks over, carefully carrying the pan of pepperoni pizza, and places it in the center of the table. Within reach of everyone.

They have to wait a couple minutes to eat it, because it was a bit hot, but it was still delicious.

"Ahh!" Toby yells, letting his bite of pizza slide off his tongue and back onto his plate, and then grabbing his glass and gulping down his water.

Happy and Sage laughed at him, while he chugged his drink. "I told you not to take big bites dummy"

Toby whimpered as he set his cup back down, and tried taking another bit of his pizza, but much smaller this time. But he still couldn't taste it as good as he would've liked. If only he hadn't burned his tongue on that stupid pizza.

They finish up with no more accidents, and they all work together doing the dishes. Toby washes, Happy dries, and Sage puts them all away.

They get done pretty quickly, and by the time they're finished it's already 7:00.

Toby and Happy get dressed in their room, as Sage waits for them on the couch to watch the TV, like they usually do.

She hears stumbling, and then a loud crash, as the door to their bedroom flies open. Toby was hopping out on one foot, gripping his other in his hands.

Happy follows after him, rolling her eyes. "We really need to baby proof this house. He keeps hurting himself" she says, before siting down on the couch, next to Sage.

"What'd he do?" Sage asks, watching as he hopped to the kitchen to grab some ice.

"He stubbed his toe on the dresser" she says, kicking her feet up onto the coffee table, and picks up the remote. Turning on the TV and switching it to mute while they wait until it's time for their show.

"Okay, Sage. Me and Happy have an announcement" Toby winces, limping back to the couch, holding a bag of ice in his hand. After a couple minutes.

Sage gives him a weird look, as he sits down next to her, with Happy on her other side.

"What'd do you guys do this time?" She sighs, looking way much older than she really was. And some might say that she was the parent for the other two.

"We didn't do anything...well, we sort of did, but we do not need to go into that" Toby says, after glancing at Happy glaring at him.

"Shoot" Sage says, crossing her legs up underneath her.

It was Happy's turn to speak, but she didn't really know what to say, so she went with something basic. "How would you feel about having a sibling" she asks slowly. Watching Sage's face for any sort of reaction.

Sage scrunched up her nose, not quite understanding the gist of what she was getting at. And both Happy and Toby could tell she didn't understand.

"Uhm...I wouldn't mind, I guess. But what are you two getting at?" She looks between the two, suspiciously.

"Well, Bug. It seems that we will be getting two extra editions to our family" Toby says, with a bright smile.

Sage's eyes widen, as things begin to click in her mind. And she stands from the couch in a rush. Almost tripping over her own feet as she scrambles.

"Wait, wait, wait! You're saying that you-you...you are pregnant!" She yells pointing at Happy. "With twins!"

Happy gives a sheepish smile as she nods her head, and Toby starts to rise to his feet, still smiling as he opens his arms. Expecting a hug.

But Sage pushes him back down on the couch forcefully. "No, not now! I need to wrap my head around this"

She sits down on the coffee table, and puts her head in her hands, as she adds everything up.

She looks up at them, after a couple moments. "Just, promise me something" her voice was shaky as she spoke.

"Anything sweetie" Toby says, nodding his head.

"I-I know that I'm not you're real daughter Happy, and I get that you'd want one of your own. But please just promise that you aren't doing this to replace me with someone that's part of both of you"

Happy has trouble not crying, because this is exactly how she knew Sage would react to the news. And there was nothing she could do to prevent that. She knows from experience.

No matter how many times Toby or her would prove it to Sage. That they loved her, and would never get rid of her, she would still have that doubt in the back of her mind because of what she's been through.

Happy kneels down beside Sage, and wraps her arm around her side, pulling her towards her. Toby copies her movements, and cups her cheeks, with a sad smile.

"Sweet heart. You need to understand that we love you. So so much. And we would never try and replace you. You're too special to replace" Toby laughs, rubbing her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

Happy nods along, because she doesn't know what to say right now. This was all Toby's forte.

Sage gives a weak smile, and she can easily tell that she has trouble believing him at the moment.

Happy frowns, and pulls Sage's face out of Toby's hands and turning her head, rather forcefully, to be face to face.

"Listen here kid. Stop doubting us. I know it's just your nature cause of what you've been through; but guess what, I've been down that road myself, and it is not a pretty place. We are not going to leave, we are not going to abandon you. And we will fight to the end and back to keep you safe. Do you understand that?" Happy asks, raising her eyebrow.

Sage's eyes turn red, but no tears fall, as she hugs Happy around the neck, while Toby rubs her back.

After a minute or so, Sage springs back, almost as if she was frightened, and stares at Happy's stomach in horror. Her hands fly to her mouth, "did I hurt them?"

Happy and Toby laugh, because of how worried she looks.

"No sweetie. You didn't hurt them" Happy says, rubbing her cheek with her hand.

Sage leans back towards them, as they both sit back on the couch, shoulder to shoulder.

"Ca-can I see?" She whispers, slowly climbing into Toby's lap, and turning so she's sitting facing Happy.

Happy smiles, and pulls up her baggy sweatshirt to reveal a good sized bump on her abdomen. Toby places a hand on her back to keep her stead as she bounces excitedly on his leg.

She reaches out a gentle hand to touch Happy's belly, and retracts it quickly, as if it shocked her.

Toby laughs, and grabs her hand, "she's not going to bite you baby" he places her hand on Happy's belly, and covers it with his larger one.

He kisses the side of her head, resting his forehead right above her ear. "That's your brothers or sisters in there. And they're both going to love you so much. Just like we do" he says, kissing the side of her head again.

He removes his hand from Happy's belly, and wraps them around Sage's waist, as she continues to rub Happy's belly.

"Hi there. I-I'm gonna be your big sister"

 **Sorry that it's been forever since the last update, things have been a bit hectic around here. But I have updated, and I have no clue when the next one will be, so enjoy it. Tell me what you think of this chapter. I know there's a lot going on, but thanks for reading. Love ya! :)**


	38. Talismans

Chapter 38

 **Special thanks to RozeMoon for reviewing and editing this chapter, and hopefully more in the future. And I am really Sorry for the super long wait, thank you for being so patient with me.**

"Son, you need to listen to me" Marcus grabbed young Toby by the shoulders with a firm grip, looking him in the eye. He can see the frightened glint in his son's eyes, as he frantically looks around the buildings and dark streets. There was nowhere to go now. He also glances around the dimly lit sidewalk, and down towards the casino they just came from. They were going to be in big trouble soon. There were police sirens in the background, and Toby could see the frantic look in his father's eyes. Mirroring his own.

"Son, you need to go! Now!" Marcus took the hat that Toby had been so used to seeing rested on his father's head, and watches as he placed it on his own before pushing him off in another direction. "Run Toby! Just run!" He yelled, as he glanced behind him again, only to see the police cars getting closer, and the sirens getting louder. Toby didn't have time to think, so he just ran. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, they were sore and felt like pins and needles were piercing through his skin,. Ignoring the intense pounding of his heart, and the ragged breaths emitting from his lungs. He just needed to run. Run away from his fears, and away from his father's mistakes. Away from his own mistakes. Away from the bodies that were left, and away from the danger that had followed. Before long he was tackled to the ground. A hard blow to his side, knocking his feet out from under him, and his shoulder making quick contact with the concrete underneath him. His father's hat flying into the damp street. He landed on his side, as a sharp pain shot up his arm, a small yelp emitting from his mouth.

"I got him. It's the kid!" He heard the man on top of him yell. A tall malicious man, with a bloody scratch across his face. And an unwelcoming sneer present with his unfriendly eyes.

"Where's our money" he barked, grabbing Toby by his collar, and jerking him forward. Bringing them face to face.

"I-I don't have your money" he stammered, rushing to throw his hands up beside him, and cower away from the threat. The man snarled, and threw his head back on the concrete sidewalk several times. Then sending a harsh blow to his small jaw. The man along with the others disappeared, leaving Toby sprawled across the sidewalk of the abandoned street, with a bruised jaw, and bloody nose.

It was way past midnight, in the middle of winter. He had left his only jacket at the casino, and now he was shivering badly as he forced himself to stand up. His legs were weak and unstable, and he was unsure if they were able to support him. His lip was swollen, and he was pretty positive he had a concussion, from his head being smashed against the sidewalk multiple times. He's definitely had worse. He stumbles as he rushes to retrieve the hat his father had given him. Checking inside to make sure everything was in the place it should be before placing it confidently back on his head with shaky hands. He knew he had to make it back home, where his mother was probably still lying in bed for him to come home. She wasn't fully aware of the fact that her husband was taking their 15-year-old son 'gambling' again. He had just come back from Harvard for a visit, which seems to have been a mistake. He wrapped his arms around himself to try and keep his body warm, as his tears froze on the way down his cheeks. Limping his way back to the small white house on the corner, with the rotting fence, and dead plants lined along the drive.

He barely had enough strength to pull open the sliding glass door. His arms were bare and shivering from the below zero temperatures. The hair on his neck standing on end. He pulled it open with a strangled grunt and stepped inside, collapsing onto the stained carpet laying just inside. The air was warm, and his body continued to shake as it regained its warmth and strength. After a couple of minutes, he was awake and composed enough to treat his injuries. He examined his head intently and viewed it in the mirror. He cleaned his split and swollen lip, and checked out the gash along his side from being tackled and dragged across the ground. He winced as he pressed the alcohol soaked pad to his wound to clean it. The cold liquid didn't help with his current state either. His jaw though was a different story. Luckily it wasn't broken, just painful and out of place. He was beginning to dread what he had to do next. Taking a few deep breaths, he placed each hand on either side of his jaw, twisted and pulled in quick succession. Then a loud pop could be heard along with his muffled screams of pain as his jaw was pushed back into place.

He limped back to his room, and began discarding his clothes. He was about to throw his pants in the pile of dirty laundry near his door, but a scrap of paper fell out of his pocket. He picked it up, and turned it over in his hands. It was a letter from his father. He remembered him placing something in his pocket before he pushed him off. This must be it.

'If you end up with this note son, then it means that we won't be able to speak with each other for a long time. You need to understand that. This thing we did is not that smartest thing I've ever come up with, and I'm sorry for putting you in this situation, and I'm sorry I forced you to use your abilities for bad. I'll try to keep them off you're back, but you have to keep the hat safe, that's the only proof we got left. I believe in your slugger. Wear that hat with confidence, and make me proud.' Toby sniffles a bit, as he used the back of his hand to wipe at his nose. His father wasn't usually the most caring person, and he wasn't the ideal role model, but he still cared for Toby deeply, and tried to keep him safe when he wasn't completely drunk. So he's got to return the favor. He pulls out his old duffel bag, and begins repacking his things. Peeling off his muddy and wet clothes, and replacing them with something dry and warm. He needed to get out of there. Far far away, away from the potential dangers and the bounty his father had put on both their heads.

Toby's eyes flew open as he relived an old memory he's tried so hard to forget. His forehead is beaded with sweat, and he can feel his tense muscles and ragged breaths. He hadn't had dreams about his father or past in years. Their upcoming trip must be worrying him more than he expected. He glances down slowly at Happy, after he regains control of his wild emotions. Her cheek was pillowed on his chest, and her arm was draped over his waist as her hair splayed out across his chest. He smiles at her small body curled around his frame, and feeling her soft warm breaths against his bare skin. Her growing belly was pinned against his side, and it proved to be making it more difficult for Happy to cuddle him during the night. Soon he'd have to take over the cuddling. He chuckles to himself and glances at the digital clock resting on the nightstand. It was 4 in the morning. His eyes bugged out of his skull as he tried to return his racing heart back to normal. He plays with Happy's fingers pressed into his bare skin, focusing on her even breaths, and small twitch of her legs wrapped around his own. Before his nerves get the most of him, and he carefully unwinds himself from Happy's embrace. He sits on the edge of the bed, and rubs his face with his hands. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and stretching his sore muscles.

When he stands he smooths Happy's hair back and places a quick kiss to her forehead, before pulling the sheets to rest comfortably at her shoulders. He looks back behind him at Happy sleeping on their bed before exiting the room, and closing the door quietly. He wanders down the hall, and towards the empty room they were planning on making into the baby's room. He opens the door slowly, remembering the high pitched squeaking that usually emits while opening the door. He can hear the loud squeak, and he sighs to himself as he continues into the empty room. He glances around, at the light blue walls, and carpeted flooring. The closet in the corner, and large space surrounding him. He walks to the opposite end of the room, and opens the closet door. He flips a switch on the wall and a dim yellow light flicks on from the middle of the small walk in closet. He smiles sadly to himself, and pushes away some boxes they had stored in the back of the closet for the time keeping. Important documents, books, tools, and other personal belongings they hadn't quite unpacked yet. He grabs a box he had stored towards the back. Sitting against the wall as he pulls the box towards him. He carefully opens the flaps of the box, giving him plenty of time to change his mind, and rethink his irrational thinking. He smiles as he pulls out an old photograph of his family. His mom and dad before her disease got really bad. His grandmother and grandfather. Aunts and Uncles, and his many cousins he's long since forgotten. He wipes away the dust from where he's standing in the center, with a large smile on his face. Whilst hugging the neck of his pet dog of 7 years.

He wipes away some more of the dust that had gathered along the glass of the vintage picture frame. Leaving the trail of his fingertips and dust across the old photograph. He sets it to the side with a sad frown, and pulls out the next thing from his box. It was his old mit and baseball. He remembers the countless nights he was waiting for his father to come home, and play like he had promised. He would sit patiently on his front steps, with his mit in hand. And cap on his head, the one his father had given him for his fifth birthday, along with a promise to teach him how to properly catch and throw. He never did ever learn how to catch the ball, or how to throw a ball in the direction he wanted it to go, even with the number of times he would play with himself. He placed that to the side, along with the frame, and chuckled to himself as he pulled out the next item. It was his first pair of new shoes he had gotten for Christmas. They didn't look like it now, but he wore them for years with pride. His clothes and shoes were always old and dirty hand me downs from his older and larger cousins. He can still remember his excitement as he opened up his only present Christmas morning. It was from both his father and mother. They had saved up money for months to buy them for him. He was 8, and wore them all day every day for years. Now as he looked at the worn out souls, and scuffed toes. They were probably 10 sizes too small for him now, but he still kept them for some weird reason. Some would say he was sentimental, and with his doctorate he would probably agree with them.

The only problem was; he didn't have to be sentimental. He remembers every present, every bad night, every bad memory, ever good memory, and the few fun times in between. He can remember his first winning guess at the track, and beating his father for the first time at poker. The many episodes his mother went through, and the fears he had when his father wasn't there to save her when she overdosed. Or when she got so desperate she had begged him to kill her, and pushed the knife into his hand when he was three. He can remember walking home from school and finding the lost puppy in some bushes. Bringing her home, and feeding her scraps, and building her a sturdy doghouse out in the woods behind his house. He remembers the night his father found her begging at the back door for some food, and the way he begged him not to shoot her. The way his father pushed him aside and yelled at him for being careless after emptying a whole bottle of vodka. The way his father almost got so angry and reckless that he almost got shot when he pushed himself in front of his only best friend. And of course he remembers the night he ran away, and never looked back, or said goodbye to anyone.

Those were all things he wished to forget, but he kept things of significance with him anyways. And he was going back to that same place again, and facing the same people he had run away from in the first place. There was no need for sentimentality, those things were in the past, and there was no need to focus on the things already done. He needs to focus on the future, as Walter would say, and work towards making a better life for his children so they wouldn't have to go through the same thing.

He placed them to the side gently after reminiscing, and gave a solemn smile at the item he was looking for. He pushed away some old papers, pictures and drawings and pulled out his father's old hat. Identical to the one he wore every day. Same color, Same style, same size, the only difference was what was on the inside. He flipped it over, and ran his finger along the seam in the middle. He could feel the small bulge beneath the pad of his fingers.

He smiles to himself as he placed the hat on his head, then moved to pack his other memories away, back into the box.

He stood and placed it back on the shelf, and closing the door to the closet quietly. He placed his hand back on his head, to reassure himself before exiting the room. He tried to keep his steps soft and quiet to avoid waking up the other two sleeping demons in the house.

He yawns, and starts the coffee maker, and sits down at the dining room table while waiting for it to finish brewing. He taps his fingers rhythmically on the tabletop, as he thinks and taps his cheek. He glances over at the time on the stove, and glances around the open apartment.

When he doesn't find what he's looking for he bounces up from his chair in a rush, running across the apartment in a flurry, and bounding his way upstairs towards Sage's room.

His heart was pounding as he carefully opened the door to her room, and he saw her figure sound asleep on her bed.

A soft sigh of relief escapes through his lips as he leans against the door frame and glances back over to Sage. She's safe, she's here, and he's not going to let anything happen to her.

Once his heart has been calmed, and his senses aren't spiraling, he sits on the edge of Sage's bed, and brings a hand up to her forehead. He smiles to himself as he pushes some loose hair out of her face, and exposing her soft smile underneath.

He can feel her twitching at his touch, and her eyelids flutter open. She groans, and stretches her limbs, as Toby leaves his hand resting on her cheek.

"Dad," she whines, looking over at her alarm clock, "what are you doing in my room at 5 in the morning? You should be asleep" she yawns, closing her eyes, and snuggling deeper into her sheets.

Toby doesn't say anything as he continues to run his fingers along the line of her jaw. "Just making sure your safe baby" he says, before pressing a kiss to her forehead and standing up. "And your usually up by now, so I was starting to get a little worried"

Sage blindly reaches for his hand. "Do I have to go to school today?" She asks with a pout, "I don't want to get up. I just want to sleep".

Toby chuckles and climbs over her and into the empty bed space next to her, "Me too kid, me too" he says, lifting the covers to climb underneath.

Sage grins in accomplishment, and presses herself against Toby, much like Happy was doing earlier. Curled halfway around his body.

He pressed another kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger for a bit. "What're you doing" Sage groans, when he begins pressing his lips to her cheeks and nose.

"Your warm. You might have a fever" he says, pressing his lips to her forehead again, and glancing down at her.

She grunts in response. "I'm fine. Get over it" falling asleep soon after, followed by a reluctant Toby.

He wasn't able to sleep for very long. His mind kept running, and kept reminding him of the terrible thing he and his father did that one night. The information contained in that hat, and the secrets he's kept from everyone. Then his mind began running through what Sage had to go through as a baby. Probably mush worse than what he ever faced. It was all beginning to be too much.

Sage reached up and patted his cheek halfway through his thoughts. "Go to sleep Dad, you're keeping me up with your mumbling"

Toby didn't smile, or grin, he just wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer and held her tighter. He vowed to never be like his father, and he hoped he could keep that promise, and protect all three of his perfect angels, and his perfect queen.

"Tobias M. Curtis!" Happy yells, slamming the door to the bedroom shut, much louder than what was needed. "And Sage Ava Curtis! I swear if you two don't get your sorry butts down here this instant-!" Her yelling ceases when she throws open the door to Sage's room.

She crosses her arms over her chest and frowns. They're both half asleep, and it's seven in the morning. They should be at the garage by now.

She grabs a pillow off the side of the bed, and whacks both of them continuously in the head. "Get your lazy butts out of bed! Sage needs to be to school in half an hour, and you haven't even started to get ready yet!" She yells angrily.

Toby throws his arms over his face to block the incoming flurry of pillows, and Sage just rolled on her stomach, and buried her face into her own pillow.

When Happy finishes her rampage, she throws the pillow down with a huff.

"Happy, we aren't going to work today, and Sage doesn't want to go to school" Toby says, covering his mouth as he yawns and attempts to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

Happy crosses her arms over her chest. "Our flight doesn't leave till six, we don't need to stay home"

Toby reaches out to Happy and pulls her into his arms, dropping them both against the bed, next to Sage. "We don't need to, but we want to"

Happy's nose scrunched up in disagreement, but she really did want to go back to bed. It's been awhile since they were allowed to sleep in. "Fine, but we're getting up by noon to finish packing" she grunts, pulling herself under Sage's sheets, and pillowing her head on Toby's arm.

"Is there a reason we're all sleeping in 'my' bed" Sage grunts in annoyance, struggling to roll to her side without falling off.

"Cause we're too lazy to go back to our own room" Toby answers, letting his head fall back against her pillow. Pushing her even closer to the edge.

She grunts, and goes back to sleep, along with the other two hogging her bed and sheets.

She's the first to wake up at 10, and she checks her phone to see at least two messages or calls from everyone. Multiples from Ralph and Colby. She can only assume Toby and Happy's are the same way.

She's careful to slip out of bed, and dial Walter's number as she walks down the stairs quietly, towards the kitchen.

"Sage!" She hears Walter's voice answer.

"Hey Uncle Walt. I bet my dad didn't tell you, but we're staying home today. We've still gotta pack and everything" she yawns as she reaches on her tip toes to grab a bowl.

She can hear his annoyed grunt. "You should be in school. And your flight doesn't leave till-"

"Walter! I just woke up, and I am not in the mood to be tested. This was not my decision...well it sort of was, but if you're gonna yell at anyone, it's gonna be my parents. I'll tell them to call you when they wake up, cause I am not taking any of your crap today!" she says, pouring cereal into the bowl and opening the fridge to grab the milk.

"Fine, I hope you have fun on your trip" he says. And Sage can hear his aggravated tone. He's probably used to being told off by both her parents, so it's safe to say that he didn't expect anything less of her.

"Alright. Bye Uncle Walt" she says, hanging up the phone, and scooping a large spoonful of cheerios into her mouth.

She lays the spoon down, and reaches over the counter to replace the old coffee Toby had brewed 5 hours ago. She poured it into the sink, and started another batch.

When she was done fixing everything up, she carried her bowl of Cheerios to the table, and continued to eat her breakfast.

Happy was next to emerge from the bedroom. Her hair was wild, and her eyes were tired as she trudged into the room.

She had stopped wearing baggy shirts since Sage found out about the babies, so her small bump was exposed through the tight fabric of her black tank top.

Sage tried not to laugh as Happy crinkled her nose at the smell of the coffee, and stumbled towards the countertop while half asleep.

She threw open the top cabinet, and glanced at the top shelf containing the mugs.

Toby was in charge of putting away the dishes, and she hadn't used the mugs in months, so Toby didn't get any complaint about them being on the highest possible shelf.

Sage could see the steam seeping from Happy's ears as her face turned beet red from anger. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. Probably because of the frequent mood swings.

"Tobias Merriweather Curtis!" She yelled, a bit louder than what was needed.

Sage tried her best not to laugh to avoid spitting out Cheerios and milk across the table, at hearing the use of her father's middle name.

She hears a thump come from the upstairs, and then frantic footsteps as her father raced down the hallway and stumbled down the stairs.

"What?! What is it?" He yelled frantically, rubbing at his eyes to get a better view, and throwing his head around to look for the danger.

Happy places a hand on her hip, and points to the top shelf contains the coffee mugs, while tapping her foot impatiently. "You always put things on the top shelves because that's pretty much eye level to you, and so you think it makes sense but EXCUSE ME! IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED YET I'M ACTUALLY THE SIZE OF A SEVENTH GRADE CHILD. SO WHY ARE YOU PUTTING EVERYTHING ON THE TOP SHELVES! THAT'S BASICALLY A DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERIC LAYER TO ME! YOU SENTIENT TREE!" She yells angrily.

Toby bites his lip, and presses a knuckles to his mouth as he nods his head. Sage gave up on the no laughing thing and burst out laughing, spewing milk across the table in the process, only causing more laughter to emit from her.

Happy was drop dead serious as she glared at Toby.

"Hap," Toby giggled, "you don't even drink coffee. Why do you need the mugs?"

Happy's nose scrunched up in annoyance. "If you must know, I was going to make you coffee, and myself some tea, but YOU decided to put them on the highest shelf possible. KNOWING GOOD AND WELL THAT MORE THAN HALF THE RESIDENCE IN THIS HOUSE CAN'T EVEN REACH PAST THE FIRST SHELF!" She yelled again, stomping her foot in the process.

Toby couldn't help but laugh, as he reached out towards Happy, and pulled him into his arms. "Calm down sweetheart, they're only coffee mugs, it's going to be okay"

Happy smacks his arms, as she rests her head beneath his chin. "Don't treat me like I'm a child"

Toby smirks, as he leans down to whisper in her ear. "You are the size of one though"

Happy elbows him in the stomach, and stomps angrily back to their room to get dressed as Toby doubles over, and Sage continues laughing on the ground, while her breakfast gets soggy.

They both end up laughing for a good 5 minutes before Happy comes storming back in. Yelling at them to shut up and get some work done.

Packing definitely takes longer than they thought, and they ended up being at the airport half an hour later than they planned to be. Their plane leaves in an hour, and they still have to check in their bag, and go through security.

Happy's sure to wear her tightest shirt, per Toby's request. So they can get the highest amount of care and pity from the airport staff, from seeing a pregnant lady. He even told her to exaggerate it, by puffing out her stomach, or wrapping her arms around her stomach while walking. She yelled at him and smacked him for even suggesting an idea like that.

Happy taps her foot as they wait in the mile-long line to check in their bag.

"Why exactly did your sister decide to have the wedding in New York, when everyone lived in California?" Happy asks, as the three of them move forward in the line.

Toby shrugs his shoulders. "I have no clue. Maybe because that's where her soon to be husband lives, or because it's where we grew up, I don't have any more information besides what's on the card"

Happy shrugs her shoulders and crosses her arms over her chest. She glances over to see Sage staring up at the ceiling while mumbling something to herself. She looked a lot like Aiden in that moment. "Whatcha doin kiddo?" She asks, looking up at the ceiling as well.

Sage shrugs. "Counting and estimating the number ceiling tiles."

Happy nods, like she had expected as much, and Toby chuckles as they start to move up towards the front of the line.

It takes a little less than five minutes to make it to one of the desks. Happy pulls out her ID while Toby lifts the large suitcase onto the scale.

They paid for the overweight suitcase, and got their boarding passes, then started sprinting towards the security check. If they hurried they might be able to make it on time.

Each of their backpacks were bouncing along behind them. Containing their laptops, books, drawing pads. Whatever they decide to bring on the long ride to New York.

Getting through TSA was a breeze. Apparently they were prepared for a large amount of people to come in, so they had enough lanes open for it not to look like the subway station in Brooklyn.

Their racing hearts were able to calm when they were standing in front of Gate 9. Five minutes before the set time to start loading.

"We aren't late for the first time in forever" Sage says with a grin, pumping her free fist in the air, and letting go of Toby's hand, that she was holding as they ran through the crowds of people, in an effort not to lose each other.

"That we did Bug. Now we just gotta take a quick bathroom break, because those bathrooms on the plane are nasty. So let's go"

Sage laughs as he pushes them off into the direction of the bathroom "you're starting to sound like Sylvester." He rolls his eyes and darts off to the opposite side to enter the little boys room. They were here. Finally,.

Toby was in the aisle seat, and Happy sat in the middle. Sage called dibs on the window seat long before they even got on the plane. It was her first time flying, so they had to make it count.

It took forever to go over all the instructions, and safety procedures before they even got into the air.

Happy leaned over towards Sage and explained how the plane worked, as the plane tilted and they started ascending higher and higher into the sky.

Sage was all nerves, from the weird sensations she began to feel. The dropping of her stomach, and ringing ears. The weird weightless sensation, and the feeling of going really really fast, it was all pretty amazing.

When the plane's engines weren't so loud, and the momentum wasn't pushing them back against the seats, Sage was able to look away from the view outside and around the cabin.

She was gripping Happy's hand as she grinned over at Toby. "We need to do this more often. That was amazing"

"Well I'm glad you thought so, because that's just about the most exciting part. The next 5 hours are probably going to be pretty boring" Toby says.

Happy chuckles and leaned her head on Toby's shoulder, and Sage rolls her eyes and focuses her eyes back on the outside. While Toby leans his head back against the headrest, waiting for the okay to pull out his laptop.

An hour later the cabin lights were dimming as they watched the sunset on the clouds. Happy was asleep, but Sage was wide awake and had her nose pressed against the glass.

"I wonder what causes the color" she mumbles to herself, but Toby hears her. He's surprised she doesn't know the answer herself.

"Well I'm surprised you don't know that Bug" he says, a little surprised.

Sage shrugs her shoulder and leans away from the window. "I've never really seen a real sunset, besides those small ones in LA that are blinded by the tall buildings and bright lights. So I never really knew what they look like except for in a book" she answers.

Toby frowns at the sad thought, before answering her question. "Well if you must know, the colors of the sunset result from a phenomenon called scattering. Molecules and small particles in the atmosphere change the direction of light rays, causing them to scatter," he explains, looking out the window with a smile, "Scattering effects the color of light coming from the sky, but the details are determined by wavelength of the light and the size of the particle."

Sage nods along, and turns her head to look at him with a smirk. "You know a lot about sunsets don't you?"

Toby gives a sad smile, as he continues to gaze out the window. "When I was a little boy, my favorite place to go was in the woods behind my house. If you went far enough you'd come to a small hill. A perfect view to see the sunset. So every evening after dinner, when my mom locked herself in her room, and my dad sat down to watch the games, I'd sneak out and watch the sunsets, and look up at the stars"

He feels a hand pat his chest, and he sees Happy's small hand there. "That's so sad Doc. There's not a need to get us all sad before we meet your family" she mumbles, pressing her face further into the crevice between his shoulder and chest.

"It's not sad Hap, it's one of my favorite memories from back home. I'm going to take you two there this weekend, and you'll see what I'm talking about"

Both girls nod, and Toby returns to his laptop, while Sage leans her face against the window and gaze out over the clouds.

It's two in the morning when they land, because of the three-hour time difference they get from traveling across the country.

All three are asleep. Sage is pressed up against the glass, and Happy's cuddle into Toby's shoulder, or as much as she could with the annoying seat arms between them. Toby had his head resting against Happy's and they all were having trouble staying comfortable.

When they hit the ground with a Bump and a Screech they all jolt awake instantly.

Sage groans at the uncomfortable kink in her neck, and Toby had to stretch his back and legs really bad. Happy felt like she was going to be sick, so she was more worried about barfing all over the cabin than going back to sleep.

Either way it took another half an hour to get out of the plane, and grab their luggage.

Sage was asleep on Toby's back with their large suitcase, and the two of them were waiting patiently outside of the ladies room while Happy barfed her guts up.

Toby was attempting to make himself useful, with one arm behind his back supporting Sage, and the other dialing a number on his phone. They needed a shuttle to ride them to the nearest hotel so they can get a good night's rest before heading off to Toby's old home.

Happy exits soon after Toby hangs up the phone, and feels Sage readjust herself on his back.

His arm was getting tired, so he gently kneeled to the ground, and with Happy's help, stood Sage up long enough to pick her up with his other arm and rest her against his shoulder and hip.

"You ready to go love?" He asks, pressing a kiss to Happy's forehead.

She gave a weak nod, and grabbed the suitcase, and pulling it alongside her.

They step outside, climb in the shuttle, and ride 10 minutes to the Bed N' Breakfast. And what a relief it is when they fall onto the bed, and fall asleep.

Sage gets her own, and spreads her limbs across the bed to take up all the room. She breathes a sigh of relief into her pillow as she falls asleep, still in her street clothes, but she doesn't care.

Happy drops in bed instantly, with a sigh as snuggles into the sheets, but Toby reluctantly takes a shower, because he knows they're already going to be busy in the morning, and there was no need to slow them down anymore. But when he does eventually climb into that bed, he feels nothing but relief spread through his body when he's finally able to fall asleep.

"And this..." Toby slams on the brakes. His gaze glued to the street sign on the anything but busy corner. It's all coming back. That one night he ran away and didn't look back, all those memories of crying himself to sleep because no one was home or lucid enough to comfort him or rock him back to sleep. All the countless hours he spent studying the medical books, in hopes to help his mother and father. And being back here, didn't help cure that feeling of guilt and abandonment as he stared at the street sign.

Happy sees the fearful look in his eyes, and rubs his arm. "Toby, hey. It's okay, it's all going to be fine. You'll be fine, we're almost there" she says, rubbing the back of her hand gently across his scruff. "I bet you can't wait to see them all again, so why don't we go do that"

She sees the water in his eyes that don't fall, or give in. She sees his blank stare, and his white knuckles as he grips the steering wheel of the rented car.

"It's going to be fine Doc. It's all good. You get to meet your baby sister Doc, and all your nieces and nephews. And cousins, you get to see them all again. Doesn't that sound nice"

Toby hangs his head, and grits his teeth as he shakes his head. "I can't do this Hap. I thought I could, but I can't see them again, not after what I did. Not after what happened"

"Toby, you couldn't have done anything to help your mothers sickness. You were just a kid, and she's fine now. There's nothing to feel guilty about" she says, shooting a reassuring glance over her shoulder at Sage in the backseat. She didn't know much of anything about Toby's past, and he had wanted to keep it that way.

He gripped the steering wheel, and pressed his head into it, as he clenched his jaw, and tried controlling the tears that were threatening to fall.

"You don't understand Hap. I left them. I could've saved my dad; I could've helped my mom. But I chose to leave. I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!" He yelled, banging his fists on the dashboard angrily. Forgetting in an instant all the sad things leading him away from his family.

"I shouldn't have left! It's all my fault he was in jail! It's my fault I've never met my sister! And it's my fault that my mother is on the verge of mental collapse! It's all because of me" he whimpers, pressing his face back against the steering wheel.

Happy was at a loss, she definitely did not know how to handle this situation, but thankfully Sage did.

She unbuckled her seatbelt, and climbed over the middle console and into Toby lap. Peeling his hands away from the steering wheel, and pulling his head up straight.

She leaned her head against his chest, and gripped his hand.

"It's fine Daddy. Do you remember when you found out about me, or the twins. Or when Mom finally gave you a chance to be with her. You remember all that?" She asked, tilting her head up a bit so she can see his chin.

He nodded slowly, and closed his eyes, while remembering the happy memories.

"Now remember all the mistakes and things you did before you found out, or before you were given those chances. The gambling, and the missing date. My death, and kidnapping. Do you remember all that?"

Toby's eyes and jaw clenched together as he relived the horrible memories, as he nodded his head.

"You see, that's the same thing here. Sure you made some mistakes, and some things went wrong. But you were forgiven, and things always turned out right. It's not going to be any different this time" she says, sitting up, and holding his face between her hands. "I know you can do this"

She pulls his head forward, and presses a kiss to his forehead. "You got this Daddy"

Toby grins, as Sage hugs him around the neck, and he can feel Happy's hand rubbing his back gently. And he tells himself that it's all going to be okay.

They reset. Sage climbs back into the backseat and buckles up, as Toby takes a deep breath and readied himself.

Happy send a thumbs up back to Sage, which she gladly returns, and the car starts rolling again.

"A-and this...is my old street" Toby stutters, with a little hitch in his voice as they go less than 10 MPH down the small deserted street.

The last house on the block appears, and Toby slowly pulls into the driveway, behind an old grey truck parked under the half collapsed awning.

The ground is bare, with bits of weeds, and dead flowers scattered around. The paint on the old White House is chipping, and the shingles are falling off. The old fence Toby remembers surrounding the yard, is now a line of fallen wood around the perimeter. Not much has changed.

"I can't believe mom and dad still have this place." He whispers to himself as he swings open his door.

Happy and Sage follow behind him, careful not to push him over the edge, as he gazes around his backyard in awe. "It's so much smaller now."

They don't say anything as they quietly follow Toby along the gravel path leading up to the wooden porch.

He stops at the steps, and kneels down, running his hand along the rotten wood, and rusted railing. It used to be so sturdy and stable.

This is where he would wait all night for his father to come home from work, and where he would watch his older cousins play football when they came over. Claiming he was too young and weak to join. He made lots of memories on those steps, and not many were happy ones.

Happy places a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Doc, let's see who's inside" she says, as he raises back up to his full height.

All three are careful to step around the rotten steps and fallen wood, to avoid injury. Toby steps towards the closed glass door and gazed into the carpeted kitchen. A light in the hallway is on, and he can see the pile of dirty dishes stacked in the sink.

He clenched his eyes shut and dropped his head as he raised his hand to gently rap his knuckles against the glass.

He waits 5 seconds before spinning on his heel, with a faux grin on his face. "Guess nobody's home, let's go"

Happy crosses her arms and frowns, and Sage plants her feet firmly underneath her, to block his path. They weren't leaving without a fight apparently.

They don't have to stare him down for long, before the glass door gently slides open, revealing a teenage boy around 15 years old leaning against the doorway.

"Who are you?" He slurs, jutting his chin out at Toby.

"Dr. Tobias M. Curtis. Do May or Marcus Curtis live here?" He asked a bit suspiciously, and he's afraid the boy could hear the catch in his voice as he spoke.

He watches as his eyes widened to the size of saucers and he immediately stepped to the side, allowing them all into the small cramped house.

As he stepped inside he toed off his shoes out of habit. His mother had a weird quirk about wearing shoes around the house, and being back here seemed to trigger that old habit.

Sage and Happy followed suit silently, and hung behind him, as he cautiously gazed around the kitchen.

"Son?"

Toby's head whipped behind him, and saw an old man wobbling towards him. A can in his hand, and a cigarette in the other. His back is hunched, but the hat sitting atop his head is prominent as ever.

His cane drops to the ground, as he rushes to envelop Toby in a large hug. Toby's taller than him now, but he's still much heftier, and Toby's on the verge of tears as he hugs his father back. All the hesitation and fear draining from his body, once he felt the secure arms engulf him.

He feels a hand on the back of his head as he's pulled closer into him, pressing his face into his shoulder, as he fists his hands around the back of his shirt, like a small child. Too scared that if he let go he'd be taken away again.

Eventually his father pulls back, and holds him at arm's length, cradling his face in his hands. The tears freely streaming down his eyes "Look at how much you've grown. You've gotten so tall, and strong. I'm so glad you're home son" he says, pulling him back in for another tight hug.

"Baby? Is that you?"

Toby slowly let's go of his father, and he almost loses all control when he sees his mother open her bedroom door and step out. She looked so good for her condition.

Her hands fly to her mouth, and the tears spill from her eyes, as her hands tremble in front of her. "Oh, my little Toby" she cries, rushing forward to throw her arms around his neck.

Toby holds his mother in his arms. Her skinny and delicate frame feel like glass as he hugs her, afraid she'll break at the smallest touch.

She pulls Toby away forcefully and her hands find his face just like his fathers had, and she runs her thumb against his scruff. "Look at you. It's been almost twenty years, I can't believe you're back"

Toby begins tearing up again, as he places a hand to cover hers resting on his face, and presses his forehead against her own. "How're you doin' ma" he laughs happily. The tears falling freely from his face now. "You look so good now."

Toby's mom starts sobbing, as she rewraps her arms around Toby's neck and presses her face into his chest, while he placing a large hand on the back of her head to hold her closer.

"I missed you so much. I missed you so so much" she sobbed.

Toby silently held her, resting his chin on her small shoulder as she cried into his shirt. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and letting the tears fall.

Sage was affected by all the emotion swimming around. It reminded her of finding out who Toby really was for the first time, and she smiled as she watched Marcus join in the embrace of his son and wife. She bit her lip, and she could feel the tears in her eyes that she didn't let fall. Her lips quivered just a bit, so she moved her hands to cover it.

Happy seemed to notice Sage's expression, and reached over to pull her against her side. Sage hugged her, and pressed her cheek against her side, as she smiles happily at the reunion.

After a couple minutes Toby's father, Marcus, begins to get suspicious of the other two standing in his home.

"Tobias, who're they?"

Toby turns around, and his mother lets go to look at Sage and Happy, and her hands fly to her mouth again as she giggles excitedly. She must be in a happy mood now, that's a good thing.

Toby grins as he steps over towards Happy and Sage. "Mom Dad, this is Happy," he places a hand on her shoulder, "my...fiancé, and this is Sage," he holds Sage by her shoulders in front of him as she excitedly bounces, "your granddaughter"

His father's face splits into a wide grin, and his mother rushes up to scoop up Sage in a hug. Despite her small size.

Happy nudges him in the side as the others are distracted by their new granddaughter. "What's with the fiancé thing?"

Toby gulps, because he knew this would come up. "Just go with it please. I really don't want everyone asking questions about our lives, and if we told them that our relationship wasn't beyond boyfriend and girlfriend, they will wonder why we've been together with a kid for over 11 years, and I don't feel like getting into a discussion of our backstory. Especially with the whole secret marriage thing" he said, raising his eyebrows.

Happy nods in understanding, and reaches up to wipe away some leftover tears that had fallen. Leaving her hands on his cheeks, as he looks down at her. "Are you Happy you came now?"

He nods, and wraps an arm around her waist to pull her against him. "I'm so glad you convinced me to come. I think Sage really needs this" he says, looking over at Sage giggling as affection is being poured over her by her new grandparents.

She nudges him, "you needed it too. Don't try and deny it"

Toby grins, and kisses the side of her head. "I won't"

Marcus' cigarette had disappeared, and he was now lifting Sage up in his arms with that free arm, while May sauntered over to Happy.

She looked her up and down with a judgmental stare. "I don't like her" she declares, looking over at Toby with a shake of her head.

Toby rolls his eyes, and pulls her closer. "Mom, you never liked any girl that ever showed any interest in me"

Happy raises her eyebrows and looked up at Toby. "How many girls could have possibly shown interest in you"

The kid that opened the door for them, and who had been standing in the corner the whole time, burst out laughing. Like...really hard. So hard, that he fell over onto his knees. Then Marcus joined in on the laughter, followed by Sage, now sitting on the floor.

"She's a keeper boy!" Marcus' voice booms as he continues to laugh. Happy smirks up at his frowning face, and sticks out her hand to shake May's, with a knowing smirk.

She reluctantly shakes her hand, and glares over at the younger boy doubled over on the ground. "Get up off that floor boy, and introduce yourself to your cousin!" She yells, angrily.

Toby freezes in his place, and glances over at the boy that is for sure a splitting image of himself when he was that age. He's surprised it wasn't his brother.

"Cousin?" He's able to spit out after his laughing fit. "This dudes my cousin?!"

Happy and Sage look just as confused as Toby and his cousin.

"Yes he is! Now get up and introduce yourself"

The young boy stands up, and stands in front of Toby. "M'names Milo. It's really nice ta meet you" he says, with a heavy accent that definitely wasn't there before.

Toby smiles and shakes his hand. "That's one nice piece'a meat ya got there" he says, jutting his thumb over his shoulder at Happy.

"Isn't she?" He laughs, glancing over at Happy.

Marcus approaches Happy, while May instructs Milo to grab their things from the car.

Happy sticks out her hand to shake, but instead Marcus pulls her into a big monster hug, that feels oddly familiar.

After a couple more minutes of introductions and being reunited, Marcus shows them to the room they can leave their stuff in, while May disappears back into her own room.

Happy and Sage pull the suitcase onto the bed, and begin looking around the room at Toby's old stuff, while Marcus puts a hand on Toby's shoulder and pulls him into the hallway.

"Do you have the chip?" He asked frantically, gesturing up to the hat on his head.

Toby frowns. He should have known this would come up, but he didn't suspect that it would come up so soon.

"I do, but you can't have it" he says, shaking his head and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Tobias, listen to me. That chip can prove that we're inno-" Toby interrupts him with a glare and shake of his head.

"No! It would prove that you're innocent. If the info gets out, then people find out that I was a part of all that, and I would have to serve my time just like you had to."

Marcus growls under his breath. "But we're innocent. We did not kill those guards" he insists.

Toby nods his agreement. "That is true, but we did break into one of the most heavily guarded casinos. And we did almost get away with stealing over a million dollars. And 'I' did most of the planning. If they found out I was a part of all that, then I'd be convicted for a long time Dad."

"Son, it wasn't your fault though. I put you up to it, and you were only fifteen at the time. I'm sure the courts would understand, and then I won't have to go back to prison. It's a win-win situation" Marcus tries to reason with him, but Toby is having none of it.

"No Dad! I cannot risk it! I've got twins on the way, and a soon to be wife and daughter-" he's cut off by his father.

"Toby, just listen-" Toby's quick to argue again.

"No! I'm sorry dad! But I'm not risking my future, and my children's future just to help clear your name"

Marcus frowns, and spins on his heels before marching back down the hallway.

Toby massages his forehead and groans. It was going to be a very long weekend.


	39. Wedding Bells

Chapter 39

Let's just say that the vacation plan was anything but a success. A couple nights before the wedding, May had slipped into one of her well known depressive states, leaving Milo with the responsibility of watching her to make sure she didn't try anything before her daughter's special day. Marcus had passed out in his recliner with beer bottles scattered around the stained carpet that same morning, and Toby's cousins, aunts and uncles weren't any better. Sure they were glad to see him, but it seemed that terrorizing him was the only form affection they could give. Late night poker games for the first few night's, led to a nasty turn of events. Leaving Marcus and his buddies speechless, along with the other addicts in the family. It's safe to say, that they didn't take the news very well.

"What do ya mean you don't gamble anymore?!" Marcus bellowed, standing from his seat with such force, his chair falls to the ground with a loud clatter, "that's the only think in this world that you were darn good at! The one thing that made you my son, and you go and tell me you've done and quit!" He continues his rant a while longer. Throwing insult after insult, along with many curse words he'd rather not repeat. While his cousins sit around the table with disappointed frowns, and half smoked cigars hanging out the sides of their mouths.

"You go off n' get your darn degree, and all of a sudden you're too good for any of us?! Is that what you're saying boy? Mr. Harvard is making so much money now, he feels he doesn't need us anymore, leaving us in the dust, forgetting we even exist," his uncle spat, standing up beside his father.

The frown on Toby's face grew deeper, probably leaving permanent indents in his cheeks, as he stood a ways away from the kitchen table covered in poker chips, and crumpled bills piled in the center. He absorbed the hatred, and insults, as his drunk family berated him, and his life decisions. Nothing he wasn't used to.

This led to them packing up their things and leaving the house. Heading out a ways towards the nearest hotel to stay at, while Toby tried his best to regain control of his haywire emotions.

Sage was in the lobby, doing something she probably shouldn't have been doing. Leaving both Happy and Toby alone in the hotel room. He was standing at the window, looking out at the scenery he had learned like the back of his hand as a child. He remembered the days he'd grab his bike and just ride around town for hours just to escape the mess at home. Happy walked up behind him, with an apprehensive smile.

"Hey Doc? You okay?" She asks, wrapping her arm around his waist and leaning into his side when he rests his own across her shoulders.

"I'm fine sweet pea. Just thinking" he says, with such little enthusiasm Happy begins to worry. Even when he was upset he was still open about what he was feeling, and Happy was beginning to feel helpless with how little she knew on how to help him, so she tries a distraction.

"What do you think of the name Riley?" She asks, tilting her head up to see his reaction. She watches as a wide grin forms on his face, and he looks down at her. Leaning in to press a lingering kiss to her forehead.

"I love it. Perfect for a little boy or girl" he says, resting his forehead against hers, and moving his arm down to wrap around her waist and pull her closer to him.

"We still have a lot more names to consider, but that's been one of my favorites so-" he cuts her off with a kiss. Smiling so widely he's barely able to do it properly.

"You need to stop talking Hap. That's my job" he chuckles, pulling away to look down at her, and grazing his thumb against the skin beneath her shirt.

"I know" she sighs, resting her head against his chest, "you're just being really quiet is all." Toby nods his agreement, and turns to look back out the window.

"I'm just thinking Hap. Nothing to worry about"

The next day the three returned to the old white house, to help prepare for the wedding taking place in two days.

Marcus was out cold in his old brown recliner. His mouth hanging open, as his loud snores echoed through the house, with drool dripping down the sides of his mouth, and an empty beer bottle held loosely in his hand. The long necked bottles were scattered around the browned carpet, surrounding his old worn chair.

Toby inwardly sighed, as he took the few steps it took him to reach the living room. He began his chore of picking up the bottles, and tucking them under his arm, bringing back a multitude of memories from his father's late nights. Sage wore a confused frown as she stepped over to help him gather the bottles. She reached towards the one held tightly in Marcus' grip, but Toby grabbed her wrist before she got close enough to get a hold of it.

"Don't. Let him sleep. We don't want to wake him up after he had a night like this" he whispers, slowly drawing Sage's hand away from his father's sleeping form.

They finish with the gathering, throwing them away in the garbage can outside. Happy grabs his elbow when he passes by her a second time.

"Doc, do you want me and Sage to be here? Or do you want me to take her to the park or somewhere? I was sort of getting the vibe that you were uncomfortable with us here" she whispers to him, so neither Sage or Milo could overhear their conversation. Toby sighs before he speaks.

"As much as I would love to block you and Sage off from all this crap, it's good for her to know where I came from. She's been exposed to far worse in the past, I don't think any of this will affect her, but if you want to leave I don't blame you," he places his hand on either of her shoulders and looks down at her with a small grin, "this is just the beginning of something not so great Happy. It's only going to get worse from here"

Happy nods, and he presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Hey Tobes," Milo calls from the hallway leading down towards his mother's room, "May slipped into one of her episodes last night. She doesn't look that great, and since you've done this before and you're supposed to be a doctor and everything, I was hoping you could help me out."

Toby stepped away from Happy, and trekked behind Milo towards his mother's room. Nothing much has changed since the last time he had left apparently.

His mother was curled into a tight ball, rocking back and forth slowly, with her face pressed into her knees. Her whole body was shaking, and the tight grip she had on her forearm was drawing blood from the piercing of her nails. Her head lifted momentarily and let out a disgruntled cry in pain, as she pulled her sharp nails against her skin, drawing an excess amount of blood.

Toby pulled Milo back towards the doorway.

"Have you ever handled her like this before?" He asks him.

"No," he shakes his head, "I've only been here for four months, and she's never gotten this bad before" he says, and Toby can hear the worry bleed through his heavy accent.

"Stay a little ways back" he says, pushing him further away from the unmade bed, where his mother sat, continuously running her nails aggressively across her arm.

He steps forward and peels her hands away, dodging her kicking feet, and flailing body as he attempted to lay her flat on the bed.

"No! Let me go!" She yelled, screaming a final cry of distress. She continued kicking and flailing, attempting to run her nails across Toby's arms so he would release his hold on her. He turns to Milo, and grunts in pain as she finds her mark.

"Medicine cabinet. There should be a bottle of pills, and a nail file. Then find the restraints beneath the kitchen sink" he says, pulling himself onto the bed, to get better leverage to hold her down.

After a few minutes Milo comes running back in with the things Toby asked for. Sage and Happy watched in the hallway as Milo helped Toby restrain her to the bed. Her body went limp, when the final restraint was pulled tightly against her ankle.

"Careful of her nails, you need to file them down as far as you can" Toby says, handing him the file, and then quickly pouring the white pills into the palm of his hand to examine them. He glances at the doorway to see Happy and Sage watching the two of them work with his mother. He rushes to exit the room with the bottle of pills still in hand, and closes the door behind him, leaving Milo to his work. He places a hand on either of their shoulders, and leads them down the hallway, back towards the kitchen.

"What's going on with Grandma May?" Sage asks, looking up at him, as he lets go, and grabs a glass to fill with water.

"Sometimes she just gets a little sad, and needs help coping. That's all" he answers, turning back around with the glass half full, and a sweet smile on his face. Sage plants her hands on her hips and frowns.

"I'm not an idiot! I know something's wrong" she says, lowering her voice, when she hears Marcus stir in his seat in the background.

"Never said you were bug" he says, pressing a kiss to her forehead, and turning to Happy, "maybe it would be best if you got her out of the house. Maybe get some fresh air"

Happy nods in agreement, and takes Sage's hand to lead her out of the house, despite her protests, as Toby rushes back down the hallway to care for his mother.

It's the night before the wedding, and their anything but prepared. He still hadn't met his sister, or his brother-in-law to be, and yet he's still in charge of preparing her elaborate wedding. They were flying in from San Francisco to have the wedding with family, and apparently his mother and father had promised to take care of everything for her since she was busy with the kids and working towards finally getting her high school diploma. Now since he showed up, he was pinned with planning the wedding of his little sister he didn't even know existed until a little more than a month ago.

Everyone was at the house. Cousins, second cousins, uncles, great aunts, 'Old Miss Mary's' from across the street. Everyone was crammed into the tiny little house to help with nothing, and leaving Toby to stress over everything as he stares down at the list that has yet to be completed.

Happy and Sage were helping one of his aunts prepare dinner for the 30 plus people gathered around them, while he mulled over every creative bone in his body.

His older cousins, that picked at and tortured him when he was younger, taunted him from the couch. He sat with his leg crossed over, and the clipboard in his lap, as he mindlessly listened to the insults. Pitching in his own snarky comeback every time he saw fit.

"Whatcha doin with such a hot babe like that?" Chuck asks, grinning, as he leaned over the arm of the couch to sneak a glance at Happy attempting to be of help in the kitchen. Toby doesn't reply, and instead picks up his phone to text one of the numbers listed for entertainment.

"I'm guessing she's marrying him for his money. He is one of those fancy pants doctors now. I mean look at him, he thinks he's so much better than us" Corey says, answering for him as if he weren't even there.

He wasn't going to let their taunts get to him. He's built up an immunity for it, from years of harassment and not so nice comments about his intelligence. He knew Happy loved him, and that's all that mattered, not what the idiots in front of him thought. Cause that's what they were: Idiots, and he was going to prove them wrong.

***At The Garage***

"Everybody," Walter calls from the loft, descending the stairs in such a haste he almost drops the files he's carrying, "I know it's not wise to take a case while missing half our team, based off of the usual outcomes, but we have been offered a simple installation job in Malaysia, paying us $100,000, along with first class flights" he finishes. He glances around, and the garage does indeed feel empty with more than half of the team out and about for the weekend. Cabe had taken Colby and Aiden out for the day, to give Sylvester a break, and to let Colby get outside for the first time in a while and maybe ride his skateboard around. Toby, Happy, and Sage were also missing. They had gone out to see Toby's sister's wedding.

"Why don't we call Cabe and tell him to come in, there's only three of us here. Four if we count Ralph" Sylvester says, pushing his glasses further up his nose to hold them in place.

"I already have" Walter answered, "it's only a bit of coding that me and you can do by ourselves, but we will need some backup for the heavy lifting. There's and few machines they'd like us to look at and make sure they're safe and and working to their full potential" he says, turning towards Paige. "It would also be nice if you could come along Paige" he says She nods her head and begins gathering Ralphs things to get him ready to bring to the sitters. Even despite Walters incredible advancements over the past few years, he still seems to struggle with the human interaction part of his job.

"How long is this case going to take?" she asks, "because I need to know if the sitter needs to bring Ralph to school Monday."

"The installation shouldn't take any longer than an hour or two, and the flight time is approximately 19 hours, but I think Toby and Happy will be back by then. The wedding is taking place tomorrow, and they're flying back the same night. So they should be able to take Ralph and Sage back to school" Walter answers. Paige nods her head and grabs all their go bags they keep at the garage, they're going has need them for this long trip.

So...the special day finally arrives, and Toby was able to finish up everything by some god-given miracle. The ceremony was marvelous, taking place in the backyard of his old grandmother's home, with several rows of white chairs set up to face the arch. They sat towards the back of the large group of people as they waited for the wedding to begin.

The first look at his sister nearly brings him to tears as he watches her, wearing a wide smile and beautiful white dress as she walks down the aisle. Her bright blue eyes roamed over the rows of seats, glancing at each one of her guests. Her red haired curls hanging loosely over her shoulders, showing off the freckles that adorned her cheeks. She makes eye contact with Toby and he can tell with one look that she has no idea who he was and what he was doing there. It didn't affect her confident stride though, as she continued to walk in tandem with the music and their father walking by her side.

Everyone stands in their seats in loud applause as the couple share their first kiss as man and wife, then running down the aisle hand in hand with wide grins. Now it was time to celebrate.

"I still don't see why Colby had to come along. He's not a genius, and we don't need his help" Walter grumbled, trailing after their guide to meet up with Stevens as the rest of the team followed behind him.

"We've been over this Walter," Paige sighs, "Cabe thought it would be good for him, and he's not going to school Monday because of the testing schedule. Even you know it makes more sense to bring him along then leave him alone to entertain himself, and if you were so against it then you should have said something at the garage before we left instead of agreeing with it." Paige, along with the rest of the team had noticed the growing tension between Walter and Colby. Toby had claimed he was jealous that Cabe had found yet another potential replacement for him as Walter seemed to think. Toby tried convincing him how absurd the idea was, but it still didn't help the situation. He tried his best to see it from their point of view, but he still couldn't suppress the feeling of betrayal he felt whenever he saw the happy interactions between the two.

Colby on the other hand had no idea why Walter disliked him so much, he tried to be polite and show respect, but whatever he did Walter seemed to just grumble and groan even more. Toby had called him the younger version of Tim, and he wasn't really sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He was only thirteen after all.

When they reached the tiny room they needed to work in, Walter began his work as Colby helped Cabe move some heavy machinery towards the opposite end of the room, being guided by Sylvester instructions.

"You never really clarified what we were working on Walter, what exactly is our job?" Cabe asked with a grunt as he set down the heavy metal box.

"We just have to install some virus fighting software, along with a code to protect against hackers. This building is basically Asia's version of Elia's project, and we were just hired to put the finishing touches on it," he answered answered as he continued typing.

Sylvester began working with the machines that Cabe and Colby had moved, while Paige talked with Stevens, the guy that hired them. The room was really cramped, and Steven claimed it was the most secured room in the entire building since it was the heart of the entire operation. It was all metal walls, with no windows, surrounded by wires, blinking lights, and high pitched beeps. Once the doors closed and locked, the room slowly drained the oxygen to prevent any fires that could destroy the complex system.

So Cabe, Colby and Paige all stood in the hallways to give the two geniuses more room to work.

When Walter finished with the firewall and started working on upgrading the servers with Sylvester, there was a loud Bang and crash down the hallway. Stevens had said there was nobody else in the building so Cabe slowly pulled out his gun from his holster, pointing it in the direction of the noise. Hopefully it wasn't anything they should be worried about. Then several men with much larger guns emerged from around the corner.

"Well well well Steves, it looks like you're finally putting the finishing touches to this fancy building if yours. I guess you decided not to heed to my warning" he says with an amused chuckle.

The reception follows soon after the rows of chairs are cleared to make more room for dancing and socializing. Toby, Happy and Sage were greeted by one guest after the other. Some were familiar with Toby, and some not so much. Most seemed to be familiar with him after he introduced himself as Marcus' son. Apparently he was a common character in most of their family's stories, judging by how the only thing they seemed to know about him was his abnormal skill with gambling. He didn't seem close with any of them, but he still enjoyed parading the two of them around, showing them off like prized trophies.

His cousins came up and teased him about it. Of course none of them believed him when he said he was marrying someone like Happy freaking Quinn. They still didn't even believe he was a genius, despite all the evidence pointing to the former. No matter how much proof was set in front of them they refused to believe their scrawny little cousin was superior. So he decided to give up up a long time ago, it looked like nothing much had changed.

"Alright Doc, I think I'm starting to understand your reasons for hating your family." Happy admits, holding tighter to his arm looped around her own, "but you've yet to meet your sister. Isn't that why you came here in the first place?" Toby looked down at her momentarily and nodded his head silently in confirmation.

"Than go off and meet her numbnuts," Happy laughs, pushing him towards where Maya was engaging in a light hearted discussion with one of Toby's older cousins. "Me and Sage will go raid the snack bar." Toby grins and presses a kiss to her cheek, and leaning down to kiss Sage on the forehead before he leaves.

"F-Y-I sweetheart. It's 'Sage and I', not 'me and Sage'" he whispers with a smirk, running off before Happy can smack him.

"That man is going to be the death of me one day" Happy grumbles, leading Sage through the crowd by the shoulder. Sage laughs in agreement, ready to get out of the large crowd of people and take a moment to herself while she's not the center of attention.

"You think they got pickles?" Happy asks innocently. Even she can be vulnerable to the cravings pregnancy throws at you.

Maya must have sensed him coming up to her because she said her goodbyes to their obnoxious cousin Joey and turned in his direction. She put her hand out in front of her for him to shake with a wide grin.

"Are you one of Jonah's friends?" she asked innocently, nodding her head towards her new husband chatting happily with a few of the groomsmen. Toby purses his lips and shakes his head, he still doesn't know exactly what he wants to say, which is a first for him.

"N-no, I'm family. We've just never met before" he says, "I decided now would be a good time as any to introduce myself to you."

"Oh, um, well, which side of the family are you from?" She asks, cocking her head to the side and looking a bit confused.

"You could say both I guess," Toby answers with a nervous laugh, "long lost brother finally got enough sense to find his way home" he jokes. He watched as Maya began to realize who he was and her eyes widened comically, and her hands fly to cover her mouth in surprise.

"T-Toby…?" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yep, every lovely, obnoxious piece of me" he chuckles, shrugging his shoulder, a bit unsure of what to do with his hands. He doesn't have to think about that for long when Maya all but tackles him. Throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her face into his shoulder. He couldn't tell if she was laughing or sobbing with the way her shoulders moved up and down and her voice muffled by his jacket. He'd like to think he didn't make his sister sob over him on her wedding day, but he was probably wrong. After a few more moments he finally regains his common sense and wraps his ams tightly around her waist.

"I'm really really sorry" he whispers into her curly hair, as her shoulders continued to shake. She pulled away from him and sniffled, before letting out a series of tears. When she sees Toby's anxious face she's quick to reassure him.

"Don't worry, these are happy tears" she says, fanning her face frantically to avoid messing up her makeup and attempting to calm herself down. "I just can't believe you're actually here after all these years."

"If I would've known I had a little sister I would have come back a long time ago, but I guess I sort of just ran off before anyone could tell me the great news" he said, pulling her back into his arms for another hug.

"I don't care, I'm just glad my big bro finally decided to show up for something important" she grinned. Toby pushed her away by the shoulders to look at her face.

"Please believe me when I say I'm sorry for missing everything. Even though I don't look physically able to, I'm still upset that I never got to beat up any boys that broke your heart" he finishes with a grin. She giggles too, and a wide smile forms over her pink cheeks.

"I forgive you" she states, with an affirmative nod before she breaks out into another fit of giggles, too giddy to contain her excitement. A mischievous glint forms in Toby's eyes and he holds out a hand while doing a cheesy bow.

"Would the beautiful bride give her brother the honor of a single dance?" he asks, and she laughs again, accepting his hand and pulling him towards the dance floor.

"You're just like Dad" she laughs, when she places her hands on his shoulders and they sway together on the dance floor.

"I find that highly offensive" he jokes, spinning her and catching he again in his arms.

They dance in silence for a couple minutes before the groom steals her away for their first dance as a couple. He steps away from the dance floor and stuffs his hands in his pockets as he walks across the backyard towards the house to check on his mother. He doesn't want he getting into any trouble on the day of the wedding.

Sage was inside using the bathroom, leaving Happy alone outside with a plateful of various cheeses and a stack of pickles. She sat down at one of the round tables off to the side, to enjoy her snack, and watched as a few members of the Curtis family began dancing together around the bride and groom. Marcus, Milo and a few other men had a game of poker going a few tables down, separated from her by a table of young and rowdy children probably no older than 6 or 7. It was definitely going to be a long night, but she didn't know how long it was actually going to be until Sage burst out the house frantically, waving her phone in her hand. She sprinted up to the table and handed the phone off to Happy.

"It's Uncle Walt, they're on a case and they need help. He insisted I put you or dad on the phone, he wouldn't tell me whats going on" she spilled. Her cheeks were a bit more pink, and her hair a little more ruffled, but for the first time that night she looked mildly distressed. Happy took the phone from Sage and pressed it up to her ear.

"What is it Walt? I swear this better be life or dea-" he cuts her off with a sigh of relief and rapid speech.

"Oh Happy! Thank goodness! We have been trying to reach both you and Toby multiple times but you didn't answer, I finally just called Sage." he says, and she can tell he's having trouble breathing and concentrating based on the strain in his voice.

"Yes, because we turned them on silent for the ceremony," she turned to give Sage a pointed look, "and we also told Sage to leave hers at the hotel, I don't even know how she carried it with her." She glances over the dress Sage was wearing, along with her Converse to top it off. Sage gives a sheepish grin and takes a small step backwards. Walter could care less, so he continues with why he had called.

"I apologize for interrupting the wedding, but we need Toby. Colby is bleeding out, and we need him to walk us through the proper way to heal a bullet wound" he say, sucking in another desperate breath. Happy's eyes widen and she sits up straighter in her chair.

"Just bring him to the hospital Walt" she says, panicking. She looks around at the crowd of people, but she couldn't spot Toby anywhere. She new there was going to be a big 'but' coming at anytime, thats just the way team Scorpion worked.

"We can't we are trapped in a confined room, locked from the outside electronically," he gasps, "it's also getting very difficult to breathe in here. The oxygen is slowly being sucked out of the room as we speak. Sylvester says we don't have much longer than ten minutes. We were able to configure the settings to prevent the oxygen from draining to quickly, but we need to get out of here as soon as possible" Happy looks up at Sage, and she can see the panic in her eyes.

"Go get your father. Now!"

"Walt! Walt! Stay with me buddy!" Toby yells through the phone. By now a crowd had gathered around the table as the three geniuses attempt to get the team out of the small room. Toby puts him on speakerphone so he can work with the laptop Sage had fetched from their car.

"Everyone please...this is very important, please don't crowd us we need room to work" Toby announces, shooing the crowd of guests away as best he could. In hope that they would go back to dancing.

"DOC! Colby's just passed out, you need to do something now!" Cabe yells through the phone, and everyone recognizes the panic in his voice.

"I can't do anything when you all are half way across the globe!" Toby yells right back in frustration, pushing the computer towards Sage.

"Walter tell Sage the address so she can hack the blue- Dammit!" he yells, "the service sucks out here, we can barely keep the call going with you guys."

Apparently some not so friendly rivals forced them into the room at gunpoint. Before they closed the door they shot Colby in the thigh, and took everything except for Colbys phone that he had hid in the waistband of his pants. Of course things didn't go as planned, things never go as planned.

"We need to figure out a way to get a better signal so we can get into the mainframe" Happy says,"I'll draw up something to catch it. The higher it is, the better reception we will get, so I can climb up to the roof to install it"

"No you are not!" Toby all but yells, "you are pregnant with my children and there is no way you are scaling this old barnhouse with the possibility that you may fall."

There was a long pause over the phone, and Toby just began to realize his choice of words. He looked over at Happy with wide eyes, and she was red in the face.

"I regret my phrasing" he said sheepishly, looking anywhere but her face.

"Your pregnant?" Sylvester asks quietly. He hadn't spoken through the whole ordeal, but this newfound set of information seemed to get him to pipe up.

"Yes, have been for the past 4 months, but you idiots can't seem to take the hints, even with my humongous stomach," Happy sighs, "Either way, we have more important matters to attend to. Someone needs to convince numbnuts over here to let me get to the roof to save you guys"

"Not happening" Toby insists, "I'm putting my foot down here Happy. I'll go do it." he says.

"Are you kidding?" Happy laughs, "no offense Toby, but you are not very good with the physical stuff, that's my forte."

"I'll do it, just stop arguing!" Sage shouts, "we need to get them out of there."

"The kid has spoken, let's hurry this up guys" Cabe says, "it's getting really stuffy in here"

"No, you aren't go-" Toby starts

"Dad I swear, I will kick you in the shin if you don't shut your mouth and help mom build this thingy majig for me to put up on the roof" Sage insists, grabbing a few of the items Happy needs for her contraption. He shuts up, and they all get to work on the device.

"We've got 3 minutes before they run out of oxygen and pass out" Toby says, holding the device while Sage gets ready to climb up to the roof, "you need to hurry, but be careful sweetheart" he says.

Sage pulls up her dress so its not hanging around her legs, and tied it to her side. Revealing the pair of shorts she was wearing beneath them.

"Why are you wearing shorts underneath your dress?" he asks, tilting his head to the side, as she puts her hair up in a quick ponytail so it doesn't get in her way.

"Same reason I insisted on wearing Converse instead of the dumb heels. It's more comfortable" she says, grabbing the signal booster and using the strap they attached to put it around her shoulder, "it also gave me a place to hide my phone...just in case."

"Hey somebody!" Toby yells into the crowd that had once again gathered around them after Sage had gotten a good ways up "somebody watch and make sure Sage doesn't fall, I need to go help Happy."

His father steps out of the crowd while leaning on his cane and nods his head.

"I got her son. You go help your friends" he says, patting him on the shoulder before he runs towards the seating area, but he's stopped by his sister before he can get there.

"Hey what's going on?" she asked, gesturing around them at the crowds of people gathered around the house watching Sage scale the two story building, along with the table where Happy was instructing Sage on how to set up the device once she got to the roof over the comms.

"It's part of my job. I'm really sorry for messing up your wedding, my team is just stuck in Malaysia and we need to get them out. I promise it'll be over soon" he rushes out, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder before running back over to assist Happy.

"Doc, neither of us are that great of hackers. We won't be able to get into the system in time" Happy says, turning the computer screen to face Toby, "we will have to do it in less than a minute, and its Walters software, only Ralph and Walter can get through it that fast."

"Well, where's Ralph?" Sage grunts, as she pulls herself over another ledge. She was finally on the roof.

"He's at home," Paige answered, "but he's grounded, and I told his sitter not to let him use his phone or laptop so we won't be able to get in contact with him" she says, her voice cuts off a bit from the bad connection. Sage scoffs before letting out an amused laugh.

"Oh please, I know Ralph, he's probably already found a way to get that girl out of the house and halfway to Paris by now. She's as dumb as a bag of bricks" she says.

"Manners" Toby scolds her over the comms.

"Anyway," she continues while rolling her eyes, "you just need to call him and he should pick up."

"Yes, but before we do that you need to finish up there so we don't lose the signal we already have. The signal is already starting to spaz out" Happy answers, looking over towards the roof of the house.

"I've almost got it all set up, try calling him now" she grunts.

Sage was right, Ralph picks up on the first ring.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Ralph! Thank goodness, you need to hack into Stevens building in Malaysia and pass over Walters software to unlock the door. In less than a minute, can you do it?" Toby asks frantically, he doesn't waste any time with small talk. They hear a scoff on the other end of the line and he answers.

"Of course I can. I knew something would probably go wrong like it always does so I took the opportunity to watch over the security cameras, and I've been working on bypassing the systems firewall for the past few minutes so I can unlock the door. It's much more complex than I had anticipated, but I'm almost done" he answers.

Sage begins her descent from the building, as Toby and Happy hack into the security cameras to search for a safe exit point while Ralph works on unlocking the door.

"I see the guys that forced you in there. They're in the lobby, even after you get out of that room you won't be able to get out at the front entrance. You'll have to sneak around back" Toby says, tapping a few more keys to jump back and forth between cameras.

"Got it" Ralph says triumphantly. There's a long beep, as the light inside the metal room turns green, and the doors hum open.

"Thank you Ralph" Walter says, as he breathes in multiple gasps of air, along with the other five in the room. Toby stands from his seat in a triumphant cheer, as Sage jumps the rest of the way down the house with a big grin on her face. Marcus catches her with a grunt, and places her feet on the ground so she can stand on her own.

"Yes!" she yells pumping her fists in the air, and colliding with Toby's side for a hug as the three of them celebrate. The rest of the crowd celebrates along with them, clapping their hands and cheerfully hollering.

"I'm sorry for whatever interruption I may have caused at your sister's wedding Toby" Walter starts to apologize, but Toby cuts him of.

"It's fine Walt, you don't need to apologize. Just try not to take any more cases until me and Hap get back to work" he jokes.

"Well, you three should be back by the time we even return to the garage. The flight time is about 19 hours plus the amount of time it will take waiting for Colby at the hospital, and you are leaving tonight, so there wouldn't be much time for us to even take a case" Walter says. Toby rolls his eyes in response and looks back at the security feed streaming on his laptop.

"I get it 197, it was just a joke. Ralph do you think you can lead them through the building by yourself. We need to get back to the party. I think we've been disruptive enough" he says, glancing around at everyone that have yet to disperse from around the table they were working at.

"Yep, I got it covered Toby." Ralph answers.

"Alright then… just remember to get Colby to a hospital as soon as you can, I was able to lead you through how to stop the bleeding, but that bullet wound will probably cause a nasty infection if it doesn't get treated ASAP" Toby says, watching the camera as Cabe lifts an half conscious Colby off the ground with Walter's help.

"We got it Doc, you get back to your party, we'll debrief you when we get back" Cabe grunts.

Happy turns off the computer before Toby can stall anymore, shutting down all their equipment in the process.

"Hey!" Toby's grandmother hobbles up behind him, pointing wildly at her house with her cane, "are you gonna get that lil' trinket off my roof now or what?" she glares. She was definitely more grumpy than he remembered her. Toby gives a sideways glance to Sage, and she sighs as she treks back over to the house to retrieve their device.

They stayed about two more hours at the party after they gave up communications with the team, convinced that if something had gone wrong Ralph would have contacted them by now. He was able to sneak in a few dances with both Happy and Sage around the large amount of conversations about his 'new' job. He hadn't told his family that he wasn't practicing medicine currently, so it was a new surprise for all of them. After the party ended, and people began leaving, the three of them helped pick up after the eventful night.

Afterwards, Marcus invited them back over to the house for a small family afterparty to give Toby the opportunity to get to know Maya a bit better. Maya, Jonah, Milo and a few other close cousins were already there when the three came over after a quick stop at their hotel.

"Heeey! Toby!" Everyone called when he walked in through the front door. They were all hanging around the small living room with bottles of beer. Most had retired the wedding clothes and settled for comfortable jeans and t-shirts.

"Hey, how's everybody doing?" he greets back with a smile, Sage and Happy following behind him. Jonah stands from the recliner and sticks out his hand for Toby to shake, while Maya and her two daughters squeal excitedly over their new niece/cousin. May was sitting quietly in her chair in the corner, rocking slowly back and forth as she watched the heartwarming greetings. After a few moments Marcus pulled Toby over into the kitchen, away from all the listening ears to talk to him.

"Son, about the other day-" Toby cut him off.

"It's okay dad, I understand. The only thing me and you could ever really do together was gambling, because we didn't really have a lot in common back then. You were just upset that I had severed the only thing holding our relationship together," he sighs before continuing, "and I'm not going to apologize for quitting, because it is by far one of the best decisions I have ever made." Marcus nods his head, and taps his cane lightly on the tile floor a couple times.

"Yeah...that's not what I was talking about. I'm still beyond furious you gave up an amazing talent. I was talking about your first night here. I realize now why you're keeping it a secret. I mean, you've got a great job by the looks of it, a great family," he gestures over to both Happy and Sage laughing along with one of Milo's jokes, "and you're happy. I know I was never the typical father, and I was beyond clueless when it came to raising a genius child, but I just want you to know that all I've ever wanted for you was to be happy, and I think that after all these years you've finally found that. So, I'm not going to hold it against you if you keep our big secret on the down low, I trust you Tobias, I always have."

Toby purses his lips, as his father pulls him in for another hug.

"I love ya dad" he whispered softly.

"Love you too son," Marcus says, pulling away from the embrace. His eyes glint in amusement as he walks over to the bookcase in the living room, gesturing for Toby to follow him.

"Everyone!" he announces, and the room silences as everyone turns to look at the pair, "I believe it's finally time for me to pass on one of my greatest treasures" he places a hand on the shelf of the bookcase, and in an instant just about everyone knows what he's talking. Toby chuckles to himself and shakes his head in disbelief.

"No dad, it's okay, I-" but he's silenced by the excited cheers, and Marcus's wide smile.

"Now that you are a father, and soon to have another addition to your family, I bestow upon you every families worst nightmare" he says, pulling out a tattered book titled '1001 Jokes For Dads'.

"You have got to be kidding me" Happy groans, once she gets a look at the book, and everyone bursts out laughing.

"Treat it well son." Marcus says, patting him on the back.

Toby accepts it, and holds it high above his head in triumph. Then he begins his short speech.

"I swear, by this sacred book that has been passed down for three generations, to be the cheesiest father this family has ever seen"

"I don't see why you needed the book. You already had the cheesy dad thing down pat even before you were a dad" Happy says, leaning against his shoulder as they sit at the top of the hill behind his parents house that he had told them about on the airplane.

"It runs in the family Hap, where else did you think I got it from" he laughs kissing the top of her head.

She and Toby had wandered up to the hill after Sage joined the others outside for a traditional game of flashlight tag, that she was certainly winning. They were going to let her have a little more bonding time with the family before they got back on a plane to ride back to LA. The second half of their trip seemed to go much better than the first half.

After a few more moments, and several constellations being pointed out by Happy, Toby sits up from the grass.

"I know we said we'd wait," Toby started, shifting a bit so he was facing Happy, "but I just can't stop thinking about it Happy. We can wait to plan the wedding until after the babies are born, but I want to make everything official. I don't think I can wait any longer." he kneels beside her, fetching the ring out of his jacket pocket, and Happy's eyes widened once she realized what he was doing.

"I don't have a song this time, but I've carried the ring with me every day-" Happy cuts him off with a smirk.

"Sing it" she insist, and he cocks his head to the side in confusion.

"The song?" he asks. She nods her head, and maneuvers so she's sitting in front of him with her legs crossed beneath her, waiting patiently for him to begin singing.

"Sing the song you made for the proposal. I want to hear it again." Toby rolls his eyes, but smiles as he gets to his feet, pulling her up along with him and begins singing the obnoxious tune.

"Oh Happy, I know it may sound sappy, but I feel so crappy, when I'm now with yooouu" he sings, dancing around her, and spinning her into his side.

"I know you'll save me when I'm in a pinch, probably with a monkey wrench." she laughs as he spins her again and presses a quick kiss to her lips, "I wanna fulfill your desires, like a pair of needlenose pliers" he lets go of her hand as he continues his ridiculous dance around her form.

"Oh Happy, you make me so happy, I just rhymed Happy with happy, because I love yooouu" he finishes, a little out of breath, kneeling down on his one knee once again and looking up at her with a grin.

"Okay, I've sang the song again. Now will you marry me?" he laughs, showing off the ring once again. She purses her lips, and taps her chin as if she were deeply considering her decision.

"Come on Hap, you're killing me here" he says, grabbing her arm and pulling her down so she's sitting on the leg outstretched in front of him, and turns the ring to face her.

"You have to say what you said the first time again" she says, leaning into him with a smirk. He barks out a laugh at her request.

"Really Hap? You already know how in love with you I am" he says, poking at her side. She wriggles a bit at his touch, and bites her lip.

"Say it" she insists.

"Fine," he says, in faux irritation, "I've loved since I can't remember when, and I'm going to love you until I can't forget how. Will you please marry me?" He recites it perfectly, with the same amount of love and emotion, that Happy can't help but tear up at.

"And I swear to god if you say no again just to be fun-" she cuts him off with a kiss.

"Yes! Of course I'll marry you, you idiot" she laughs, pressing another kiss to his lips.

He grins into the kiss, and pushes the ring onto her finger.

"We're getting married" he laughs, pressing his forehead against hers.

Applause erupts from the forest behind them, as Toby's family emerges from the trees.

"That was the best proposal I've ever seen dude" Milo says, clapping his hands along with the others. Sage runs up to the both of them, almost knocking Happy down from her perch on Toby's leg when she hugs them both. Her face along with Toby's flush pink once they realize his whole family had witnessed the private proposal.

"I'm not even mad that you lied about her being your fiancee, I'm just too amused" Marcus laughs. Everyone glances over at the newlyweds when they hear a pained 'ow' from Jonah, clutching where Maya had elbowed him.

"Why couldn't you propose to me like that?"

 **Important Announcement!**

 **After this chapter there will be one more before I end this fic, but before you freak out just let me promise that there will be a sequel. I'm hoping to make it just a series of oneshots based around Sage and the twins and their interactions with the team. Im only going to be writing what you guys throw at me, so just leave a comment suggesting a small plotline I can base a single chapter off of. Ive already recieved a request for Sage's birthday which i plan on doing. So anything you want to see, or read in this matter, for example, the twins birth, Sage going to prom, when the twins grow up, Sage moving out, or even a backstory, I dont care. I would really have a lot of fun with Sage and Ralph dynamics, because I havent really had the chance to play with there relationship yet. It doesnt have to go in any order, its all up to you guys, just let me know.**


	40. Till Next Time

Chapter 40

"Grandpa!" Sage shouts when she spots Patrick at the garage door. She runs up to him and he swings her up in his arms as she hugs him around the neck.

"How are you holding up today sweetheart?" he asks, pressing a kiss into her hair then placing her back on the ground and to her feet.

"I'm doing good, just a little nervous about everything," she sighs, looking up at him with a small smile, "are you coming with us?"

"Of course I'm coming," he says, "I wouldn't miss something this important to you for the world, that is unless you don't want me to come." He looks down at her and raises an eyebrow playfully and she just grins back up at him because they both already know the answer.

"Hey dad," Happy says, walking around the corner from the back of the garage. She heard Sage's excited shout after the garage door open and she decided to go see what was up since the team had left her and the rest of the kids in the room by themselves as they talked about adult-y stuff. When Patrick sees her he envelops her in a hug, much like he did with Sage, it had been awhile since he had seen either of them.

"Oh Happy, it's so good to see you. How are you and Toby doing with all the new… developments?" he asked, glancing down at Happy's protruding belly. She was getting much larger and it started becoming more obvious once she began wearing tighter shirts after the team found out at while on the case during Maya's wedding.

"We're doing good. We had a checkup a couple days ago and they said that we should be able to find out the gender in the next month or so." Happy answers with a smile on her face, "although Toby has been very… clingy ever since he found out." Patrick laughs and squeezes her shoulder.

"That's completely normal Happy, it's probably a good thing that he cares so much." Happy laughs and nods slightly along with him.

"I guess so."

Sage smiles and falls into the couch with a sigh. Today was the day of Barnes' trial and she was anything but calm, her mind was running laps in her head and if Toby would let her she would probably be doing the same thing around the garage. They took her to the track last night to let out some steam but it all built up again and she's only getting more and more worried. Hopefully things don't go as bad as she think it will.

Colby sat on the couch with a sling around his arm, it wasn't the first time he had been shot at, but it definitely hurt like crazy. Aidan sat next to him with a book in his lap and his fingers tapping rhythmically at the corner of the pages which began to drive Colby a little insane. He became a bit more irritable ever since he got shot and nobody really blamed him for it. Sage had fallen into the couch next to Ralph who was staring blankly at his computer screen. Sage waves a hand in front of his face as Colby stands up in annoyance and storms across the garage as Aidan continues to mindlessly tap, he was already deep in his own little world.

"Hey mister, you in there?" she jokes, bumping Ralph's shoulder with her own. He shakes his head in reply and drops his head before lifting it again to look over at her. He didn't look at all okay.

"Would you get mad at me if I told you I didn't want you to do this?" he asks innocently. Sage frowns a bit at the comment, but not because she was upset. She could tell something was really bothering him.

"Well… I don't really blame you. I don't think anyone wants me to do this," she says shifting her body so she's facing him with her legs tucked up underneath her.

"But it's different for me, I don't want you to have to see him again. I want you to stay happy, because whenever you're sad or you cry it just makes me feel so helpless and I hate feeling helpless," he sighs. "I know it's selfish of me but I really don't want you to get hurt again, I want you to be safe here with us. It just hurts me whenever you're hurt." He rambles on, shutting his laptop and laying it on the table in front of him then wringing his hands together.

Sage slowly wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly, pressing her face into the side of his neck.

"That is probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me," she said, hugging him tighter. Ralph wraps his own arms around her and sniffles just a bit. He rarely cried, but Sage was worth crying over.

"You're… my friend, I'm always gonna be worried about you. I don't want you to leave me," he says, pulling away from the hug and looking directly at her after he dried his watery eyes.

"You aren't going to lose me Ralph, I don't think I will be going anywhere anytime soon," she promises, and she intended on keeping that promise.

It was Sage's turn for the stand and the attorney called her name to testify against Dr. Barnes. Toby was nervously wringing his hands behind her as she confidently stood from her seat. He could see how nervous she really was as she walked up to the stand, with her lips pursed and her eyes lowered to the ground. He was able to see right through the hard exterior she was wearing as she marched to the stand, he saw it all and for once he hated himself for being able to see it.

To keep himself from twitching too much he reached over to grasp Happy's hand beside him. She intertwined their fingers in response, she also needed the stability she always felt from being close to him. There was nothing they needed to be worried about, yet here they were; a pile of nerves.

The rest of the team wasn't in a much better condition. Walter and Paige sat shoulder to shoulder. Walter's hands were clasped together tightly in his lap as his leg bounced and his eyes twitched in discomfort. Ralph sat beside him and had a much similar reaction, he was more than just nervous. They all knew the likelihood of this trial going against their favor, but despite all the numbers on their side there was no way to calm his nerves, or any of their nerves, while his best friend faced one of her biggest fears. Colby and Aidan were seated beside him and they both seemed restless since they walked through the doors of the courtroom. Colby's foot was tapping as he supported his chin in his hand propped up on his knee, with a deep frown that you didn't see from his face very often. His injured arm was tucked closely to his chest as his fingers played with his collar.

Aidan, on the other hand, continued to stare at everyone except Sage, he was alert and his gaze lingered for just a bit on the man with the sly smirk on his face, the one he had no liking for whatsoever. He glanced at the four guards stationed around the room, then he looked at the judge and the audience, studying them each closely before directing his attention to someone else.

Sylvester was seated in the next row up beside Toby, Happy, Patrick, and Cabe. Aidan had insisted on sitting with Colby and Ralph and Sylvester didn't put up much of a fight, he was already too nervous to begin with. He knew that in a few minutes this would all be over and Toby would go up to testify a little while later and they would all go home and celebrate. That's all he wanted to think about right now, he payed no mind to the feeling deep down in his gut that things were going to go wrong. Yet, he always felt that way.

Cabe also watched closely as Sage made herself comfortable in the seat behind the stand, he glanced at the guards and the judge, the lawyers and Barnes and with one look shared with Sylvester they both knew things didn't seem all that right.

"Alright Sage, let's just go over the basics for now. How are you acquainted with Dr. Barnes?" The attorney asks as he paces back and forth in front of her. She didn't like it, he just needed to pick a spot on the floor and stand there so she could concentrate.

"I thought this fact has already been established," Sage answered with an unamused frown as she crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't dare show how uncomfortable or how nervous she was, she's already given Barnes too much unneeded satisfaction. She glanced over towards the team and sees Cabe chuckle and a select few smile. Happy smirks over at her while she leans against Toby, mouthing 'that's my girl' so only she can see. That one thing gives her all the confidence and encouragement she needs to keep going.

"Yes, but just for the records, could you please just answer the question?" The exasperated man asked as politely as he could.

"Sure," she says with a shrug, "basically he kidnapped me, or… I don't know if he did the physical kidnapping or what. I can't really remember since I was literally a newborn when he decided to nab me. My dad didn't fill me in on all the details, he probably didn't want to traumatize me more than I already was, but I do know that he was the one ordering my daily beatings and the one behind all my physical and emotional scars that I have today."

The man's pacing stops finally and he leans against the stand. He's in her face, which is highly unnecessary, she was telling the truth. She was on his side she didn't see why he had to make her more uncomfortable than she already was. He backs away just a bit, but stays close enough so he can still lean the majority of his body on the wooden stand.

"Thank you. Can you tell us about your living conditions?"

"Well… every morning when I would wake up in the bed I shared with another little girl. I think her name was...Jessie? I'm pretty sure. Anyways, I would always wake up before her, I was sort of an early riser. Our bed was really small and I'm pretty positive that our sheets were never washed. There were about three rows of four or five beds and there were 1 or 2 kids in each. The frames were all rusted and the sheets were stained brows from the dirt, sweat and dried blood and tears, you couldn't really tell which. Everyone had the same pair of white shorts and navy t-shirt, that's what we wore everyday all day. They all had a name tag on the chest right here," Sage says, tapping the spot on her chest right above her heart. "He didn't give us real names, so we had to make them up ourselves, I named myself Chloe. My tag name was 'International 7-2020', I was never really able to tell what that meant, but since everyone else's was different it couldn't have been good. Now that I look back on it though the tag names seem to make more sense now." she said, lowering her head and taking a quick glance at the team sitting in the corner of the courtroom. She had never told them this part of the story before, but now was as good a time as any.

"After everyone woke up and had their daily dosage of medication we were lead to a separate room to take our showers. It wasn't all that bad, the water was cold and the floors were a bit moldy, but it was better than everyone stinky and sticky from the blood and sweat. I personally enjoyed the showers-"

"Your honor, most of these facts are irrelevant to Dr. Barnes' offenses," the defense attorney spoke up, standing from his chair. Sage paused and glared over at the man for interrupting her, while the judge just waved him off.

"Overruled. Please continue," he said, gesturing over to Sage.

"Thank you. If you want I'll get to the more interesting part for you," she said, shooting a menacing look over at the man who had interrupted her earlier.

"Anyway, things were kind of normal. Nothing bad, we spent most of our spare time studying our textbooks so we wouldn't get bad scores on our tests, then we worked together to test each other. The younger ones were usually taken away for their first round of studying with Oscar and Charlie. The older ones, about 4 or older were carted off to sit in the computer room. I was only sent there a couple times when I came of age before they set me up to the machine," Sage said, pausing to take a breath before continuing.

"Basically you were locked in a room all day with 5 computers, and books upon books about how to code and hack. There was a little bucket in the corner, and a water faucet in case you got thirsty. If you did anything but code on the computer it would alert one of the supervisors and they would take us to another room for a couple good rounds of beatings. I experienced that a couple times first hand, I never did get very far with the coding." She glanced over at Barnes for just a moment, and he didn't appear to be the least bit worried, but that was the way he always looked.

"Every Friday was test day, we kept very good track using the calendar in the corner, near all the fancy beds, nobody ever liked to go over there. That was probably the most dreaded day amongst everyone in that room. Basically, Oscar would lead you into this dark room. It wasn't all that nice, I'm sure there's a picture of it somewhere on record. Either way, that room was just a terrifying place to be. Oscar would sit you down in a small chair, but you had to be careful how you sat because you could get splinters in your legs easily. So I would sit down in the dark room at the stubby old chair in front of a metal table and Oscar would move to sit on the other side. He would flick on the lamp and pull out the flashcards. They were always different, no question was ever the same, and there was about 200 cards to go over. Every time I answered a question wrong, Oscar would calmly grab the whiteboard and draw a single line and you couldn't help but let out a choked sob every time another mark was added, because everyone who ever went in that room knew what those marks meant." She could feel her face start to burn up and she had to close her eyes for a moment to control what she was feeling. Retelling the whole story almost flew her back into that exact moment, but she needed to continue. She wasn't even going into that much detail about what happened and it still triggered her.

"Every mark he made meant one strike on the back. I remember it clear as day. On average I would get about 50 to 75 whips each time and the only reason I got them wrong was because they were ridiculously hard questions, not the kind of questions you get from a family trivia game, although those are the cards they started me with in my training when I was really little," she paused and looked up at the attorney, "Is that enough?"

"Just a few more question. You seem to speaking mostly of the wrongs commited to you by other men, how do you know for sure that Barnes was used in this operation?" He payed no mind to her discomfort and continued to press.

"The only reason I can recognize his face is because of what he did to Oscar after my last beating. That particular time I did abnormally well and only received 20 whips with the belt and Oscar went to record the information on the calendar near the fancy beds. That was the only time I saw Barnes for real, he was dressed in a long white coat and about 5 men in black suits were trailing behind him like body guards. Oscar had left me back in the room, but I had scooted closer to the door and peeked outside just in time to see him get approached by Barnes. He glanced over at me peeking around the door and back at my test results on the board then lastly at Oscar. He took a couple quick steps in my direction, but before he could get very close Oscar stepped in front of him. He told him: 'Please don't touch her, she isn't really a genius I gave her beginner cards by accident.' I knew that those cards were not beginner cards, those were super hard questions and I would have known. After that comment though, Barnes snapped his fingers once and those five men following him around grabbed Oscar and started beating him, it was terrible." She dropped her head to look at her lap, and folded her hands neatly above her legs.

"Then while Oscar was fighting against them, Barnes turned his head towards me and gave me one last look before spinning on his heel and disappearing behind a guarded door, and I never saw his face again." She finished, looking around the courtroom at all the inhabitants. Then she looked over at her family, Toby and Sylvester looked horrified, like they were on the verge of crying. Paige already had tears streaming down her face while Walter looked straight at her and gave her a small awkward smile for encouragement. Patrick never really knew the whole story behind what Sage went through because everyone tried their best not to talk about it, so this was all a really huge surprise to him and you could tell by his wide eyes throughout her whole story.

"Had you had any other encounters with Dr. Barnes?" The man asked and Sage nodded her head.

"When I was hooked up to the machine I heard voices in my dreams," she pauses for a moment and looks up sheepishly at her father. She hadn't told him this part either, "he would talk to me. I-I guess I was special to him-" then the man interrupted her again.

"What is this machine you were hooked up to?" he asked.

"Well, I'm not 100% sure, but I was always pretty sure it was related to those fancy beds I talked about earlier. There were always kids sleeping on them, all day every day. Some of them screamed the whole time and would thrash around so much they had to be restrained to the bed. Others were just so still you couldn't tell if they were dead or not. Then one day after you woke up, a bed would be empty, and the bloody sheets there before were replaced by new bright white ones. I never really figured out what those machines were for or where the kids went afterwards, but everyone was scared to go anywhere near those beds." She finished by looking up at the man that had sat back down in his chair. He rested his chin in his hands, and tapped his pen on the side of his face.

"So you believe that you were at one time strapped to that bed, like the others?"

"Yes. It was very painful and I was conscious the whole time. I could hear and feel everything going on around me, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't open my eyes or speak or do anything. I remember on one specific night though, where Barnes came and visited me and I remember almost everything he said to me." Sage looked up from her lap, where her gaze was deeply fixed for the majority of the trial. She looked directly at Barnes with a scowl and burning tears in her eyes, "what he said to me hurt more than all the beatings I ever received. He told me where I really came from and who my parents were and all that really happened. I had forgotten all that he said until a couple months ago when I regained my memory." She looked directly at Toby as she said that before turning her gaze back to her lap.

"What did he say Sage?" Sage paused and tapped her knee repeatedly as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She ignored the burning sensation at the corner of her eyes and took a deep breath.

"'I have something very important to tell you, I think it is about time that you know the whole story. You won't be living much longer anyways, which is such a shame since you are one of the most successful experiment results we have received in over 10 years. This machine is slowly sucking the life out of you, which means the serum we gave you didn't work like we were hoping,' He went on like that for a while, but most of it is blurry because my brain was more focused on the burning pain that went through my body all of a sudden. He had put something into my IV and I felt it enter my bloodstream. When I refocused on what he was saying he was talking about my parents and a bunch of other personal stuff that I would rather not talk about."

"That is all I remember before I blacked out and Oscar got me out of that dump. Can I be done now?" she asks, looking up at the man who was questioning her. He gives her one last pitying look before turning his attention to the judge.

"No more questions your honor," and with that he sat in his chair. The judge gestures to the defense and the man sitting beside Barnes stood up and fixed his tie. That man must have no sense of what's right or wrong for helping such a person like that Doctor.

"Sage, you said that you regained all these memories just a couple months ago," he turns to the jury to make his next point, "So you aren't sure if this is even real. You don't know all the facts do you?"

Sage turned red in the face and if she were a cartoon, steam would be pouring from her ears. She opened her mouth to retort, but a small voice from the back of the room beat her to it; it was Aidan. He was standing up on his seat and Colby was trying to pull him back down, but he only moved further away.

"Objection!" his tiny voice rang out, "you cannot ask a question which implies the existence of a factual predicate for which a good faith belief is lacking! You can not ask speculative questions!" He yells, stomping his foot on the bench for emphasis. This was the most amount of emotion anyone on the team has ever seen from him.

"Looks like we got our own Scorpion lawyer now," Toby jokes, laughing at Sylvester's struggle to get him under control.

The judge widens his eyes in surprise, along with the rest of the audience in the courtroom while Sylvester tries to reach over and pull him down into his seat while scolding him about speaking out in a courtroom. The judge clears his throat and pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"I can not rule on that objection, since that young man is not an attorney participating in this case…" he pauses and looks directly at the offense attorney, giving him a pointed look, and the man stands up and states the same thing as Aidan.

"That I can answer to," he says with a nod. He turns his head to the defense lawyer.

"Please restate your question." The man scowls and clears his throat before trying again and Sage can't help but feel a little bit proud of Aidan for standing up for her like that.

"Sage, it has been reported that you did not have any memory of this encounter until just a few months ago. How can we trust that this isn't some elaborate story made up by a child such as yourself?" Sage gives him the most befuddled look on the planet. Now it was her turn to give him a piece of HER mind.

"What is wrong with you? Are you really that stupid!? Look at him! Look at that man sitting behind you!" Sage yelled, standing from her seat and gesturing wildly at Barnes, "you found him in the exact warehouse I described, with the exact things happening that I said, plus like a bajillion witnesses!" She shouts. The judge slams his gavel on the stand while the red faced defense attorney is about to retort. She wouldn't be ashamed to admit that she enjoyed seeing that man so angry.

"Fine! No more questions your honor," the man scowls again, sitting back down in his chair.

Before she is even given permission she stands from her seat and rushes towards the rows of seats she was originally sitting in. She climbs over Cabe and Sylvester to get to her parents. When she gets there she collides into Toby's chest and presses her face into his neck as she curls up into a ball between both Happy and him. He rubs slow circles on her back and whispers how proud he was in her ear as Oscar is called into the room and to the stand. Cabe reaches over to give her a reassuring pat on the back and shares another look with Sylvester. Things seemed to be going alright.

"Mr. Mandel, do you mind explaining to us how you and Dr. Barnes met?"

"It's a short story actually. I had been arrested and in exchange for about 10 years in prison Senator Jones offered me a job working illegally for Dr. Barnes. It wasn't really a choice, especially when he threatened my life if I didn't agree."

"Please describe the living situations for the children held in captivity."

"I would rather not talk about any of that stuff, all I'll say is that it was disgusting. I'm sure Little Miss Sage over there told you everything you need to know," he said, nodding his head over to where Sage was still curled up between both Happy and Toby on the bench. He gave Happy a lingering look before turning his attention back over to the man in front of him.

"Fair enough. Would you mind speaking of the origins of this experiment?"

"Why not?" He said with a shrug of his shoulders, "I don't know a whole lot, but I do know that the reason for them was to find child geniuses, because not long before any of this started one was found in Ireland by the name Walter O'Brien and he was a large asset to the United States government. The people I worked for, wanted to find a way to create the perfect human being to help them-" he continued speaking about the reasoning behind all those terrible things, while Walter's face turned ghostwhite as the others subtly looked over at him. Paige leaned against him heavily and whispered in his ear.

"None of this is your fault. Do not blame yourself," she said. Walter only shrugged her off and stood from his seat and exited the courtroom as quickly and quietly as he could. Paige was quick to follow after him, leaving the three boys alone in their row. Ralph watched them rush out with a worried frown, but knew it would be best if he didn't follow after them. His mom would be able to handle it.

"Walter!" she shouted once she exited the room, "Walter! Where are you going?" she asked when she caught up to him. She grabbed onto his arm and spun him turn to face her. Only to see the heartbroken expression on his face, almost as if he might cry.

"Walter," she spoke in a softer tone this time, "it's okay, none of this is your fault," she said, pulling him down to her and wrapping him up in her arms. He lays his head down on her shoulder and wraps his own arms around her waist.

"Sage had to go through all that because of me," he spoke after a while, "I can't believe anyone would ever even think about doing those types of things to a child like Sage or Ralph. What if it were Ralph?" he asked, pushing away from Paige and looking down at her. "I would never forgive myself if that ever happened to Ralph, how will Toby ever forgive me, or Happy?"

"Walter," Paige said, grabbing his face with her hands and pressing her forehead to his, "this is not your fault, do not blame yourself for what happened. I still love you and the team still loves you, Sage adores you and so does Aidan. Nobody is ever going to hold anything against you because you did absolutely nothing wrong," she said, smiling at him, "now let's sit out here for just a little while and when you feel a little better we can go back inside and finish up this case." She said, smiling up at him as she lead him to a bench outside the courtroom.

Walter looks at her with a smile and nods before following her. After a few minutes he stands up and rubs at his face, pulling Paige up beside him by the hand.

"Let's go back in there, Sage needs our support," He said . He for sure wasn't 100% better, but having Paige there to support him gave him the strength he needed to re enter that room.

Toby's at the stand, leaning back in his chair with his hands folded on his knee. He shot a small smile to Sage sitting curled up next to Happy for reassurance, both for her and himself.

"So Dr. Curtis, please fill us in on the details on how you know Dr. Barnes." Toby scoffed and rolled his eyes at the request.

"Oh yes, how could I forget? This man was sent in last minute to deliver my child," he said, sending a glare in his direction, which he returned with a smug smirk. That cocky bastard, if he wasn't sitting in a place where he could easily be arrested he would jump over this stand and strangle the man with his two bare hands.

"And that would be Sage?" The man asked, turning his body around to glance at the team.

"That is correct," he said, as politely as he could muster. No wonder Sage snapped at him in the beginning.

"Could you please retell the events that followed."

"After about two hours of labor, I was kicked out of the room for an emergency operation. Now I am a very intelligent Harvard trained medical doctor as well as psychiatrist, so it was only in my nature to question what was wrong, yet I didn't get a direct answer. I was forced out of the room and it went on for 15 hours or so. I never left my seat outside of the room, I sat there all night waiting. Then Barnes comes out with blood on his clothes and told me that both my daughter and my daughters mother had passed during birth. After I get over the initial shock, I request to see them both. They let me see the mother, but did not let me see my daughter, but I thought nothing of it at the time because I was an emotional wreck after losing the only people worth something in my life at the time. I couldn't see the markers of dishonesty when he told me my daughter had passed and I was too stressed to notice that he was not a reliable doctor to deliver my baby." He finished, folding his arms over his chest and leaning farther back in his chair.

"Thank you, no further questions," the man states, turning to the judge and heading to his seat to look over a couple more papers. The man seated next to Barnes stands up and fixes his tie while clearing his throat.

"So Dr. Curtis, may I ask how you know for certain that this man is guilty for kidnapping your daughter and you are not just jumping to conclusions," he asks, looking innocently over at him.

"What are you talking about?" he asks calmly, narrowing his eyes at the man and he can tell just by the way he's carrying himself that he's got something not so pretty planned for him.

"Are you sure you are not creating an elaborate story to prevent your secret from getting out into the world?" he asks, and this time he doesn't look at all innocent, he looks plain jane smug.

"I don't know what in the world you're talking about." He says, raising his eyebrows in confusion and looking over at the team sitting on the edge of their seats.

"Is it not true that on the night of September 15th, 1998 at precisely 2 am, you Dr. Curtis attempted to steal over 1 million US dollars from my clients Casino in New York?"

Toby stands from his chair in outrage.

"He did not own that Casino!" he demanded, placing his hands firmly on the stand.

"So you do admit you attempted to steal that money," he prodded.

"Wait, what?! So what, it doesn't matter that was over 15 years ago. What does matter is the fact that you are falsely stating that Barnes is the true owner of that establishment," he argues.

"Then how is it that he has the only liable evidence of the multiple crimes you committed that night?" he asks, and for once Toby doesn't have an answer. At that moment the other attorney stands from his feet.

"Objection your honor. This is a trial for Dr. Barnes not Dr. Curtis," he says. The judge nods his head in agreement.

"Sustained," he turns to the man standing in front of the stand, "try to keep it related to the matter at hand."

The man nods and turns his attention back to Toby, pulling out a printed picture from his pocket.

"You, Dr. Curtis have developed an elaborate scheme to put my client behind bars so he does not have the ability to circulate this picture that could put you in prison for a very long time. You work for the government and my client fell in your trap you and your friends have made. It must not have been very hard for you either considering you are all computer geniuses and it didn't cost you much more to have a young girl stand in as your daughter."

Toby stared down at the picture in his hands, it couldn't be true. It wasn't true, how had they gotten ahold of that information. So he did the next best thing, he tried to play off.

"You sir, are insane. First of all, we have much much more proof then you do for this idiotic idea of yours. Sure, you were able to dig up some not so great parts of my past, but that is in the past and what we are discussing right now is the most important matter at the moment." He stated. The man simply nodded his head before lifting another photo into the air, and the whole courtroom gasped in surprise.

Four lifeless bodies lying on the floor of the casino, still in their guard uniforms. Then, as clear as day could make it, stood 15 year old Toby with blood coating his hands.

"Not good," was his only response.

"This has no relation to the matter at hand!" Toby shouts in desperation as everyone in the room gives him a disgusted look. He glances frantically around the courtroom and even Sage is sitting there with her mouth agape and her eyes wide and red.

"It is not what it looks like! I was a medical doctor in training and they were already stabbed so I simply tried fixing their wounds, but I couldn't save them! It's all just a big misunderstanding." He insists. The judge looks down at him from his seat above him, giving him a disapproving look. How could this be happening, it wasn't.

"You have to believe me," He looks back towards the team, but he catches something from the corner of his eye and he pauses. The guards stationed around the room were all acting odd. He saw the guns secured to their belt and the way each of their hands twitched forward. They were ready to shoot. He followed their line of sight, and each of them landed directly on Sage. He locked eyes with Barnes and he knew in an instant, he knew why. He knew what he was planning, it wasn't about his trial, it was about Toby's. Barnes knew, Barnes knew he knew what he was planning and all he got in response was a simple shrug of his shoulders as his gaze flicked over to the officer standing closest to Sage. Toby knew what he wanted, and he would do exactly that.

He sat there silently, looking shamefully down at his lap as the the judge attempted to quiet the buzzing courtroom. This was a twist no one saw coming.

"The jury is now dismissed to come to the final decision, Dr Curtis can you please follow the guards, they will take you to where you will be held for the night." he says, looking down at Toby, who stood willfully from his seat.

"Before I do, may I please speak to my daughter and fiancee?" the judge nodded his head and Toby sped towards Happy and Sage patiently waiting for him, along with the rest of the team. As soon as he was in arm's reach, Happy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her. Toby could feel the tears drop on his neck, it was those baby hormones again and he couldn't help but smile just a bit.

"Happy baby, it's going to be alright. I did nothing wrong, I promise," he said, pulling her away from him and wiping the tears from her face with the pads of his thumbs. "Besides the hacking into the casino part, but that's it!" He insists.

"I believe you," she says and he pulled her back into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Sage stood there silently, looking up at him. She probably didn't know what to think and she didn't make any move to confront him about it.

That's when Cabe approached him, he grabbed onto his elbow and looked him in the eye.

"Say the word kid, and I can get you out of this," he said, as Toby rubbed Happy's back in an attempt to comfort her.

"Be careful Cabe, Barnes is up to something and he is not afraid of what the consequences might be. We need to beat this fair and square and right now they got more than enough evidence to put me away for a good 20 years. You don't see it now, but if Barnes already has that information then he has definitely got more. I can't say much more because well… he's listening to everything," Toby says, gesturing his head in Barnes direction. "Just trust me when I say that I am innocent."

"We know Toby, I couldn't imagine you doing anything like they said you did," Paige said, wrapping her arms around Ralph's shoulders.

"Thanks Paige, but you didn't know me back then, you'd be surprised," he said, shooting her a playful smile.

The guard behind him began tugging at his elbow and gesturing towards the door leading to the holding cells. He shrugs him off and shoots him a glare. He gives Happy one last quick hug before letting go and kneeling in front of Sage. She wouldn't look at him.

"You said you weren't gonna go anywhere. You said you'd stay with me," she said, looking up at him and making eye contact for the first time. Her eyes were dry, she was done crying over him.

"I know sweetheart and I'm so sorry, but you have to help me one last time. I know you can do it, just help daddy one last time and then I will be yours forever and I will never leave you again," he says. He pulls her into a quick hug and she wraps her arms around his neck, pressing her face into his shoulder. He pulls away and holds her by the shoulders before giving her a kiss on the cheek. He lifts the hat from his head and places it on her own and looks her directly in the eyes as he does it.

"This is very important. Take care of your mother and your little brothers or sisters if I can't make it okay? You have to save me Bug, I love you."

That was the last thing he said before he was lead by the arm towards a back door. With Sage being held back by Patrick as she called for him to come back. She saw the evil glint in Barnes' eyes as Toby passed by and she knew instantly that he was not going to get away with anything that he was planning. She was not going to let her father down, not again.

 **This is the end, this is the last chapter. BUT! Before you yell at me, there will be a sequel. I don't know when, but it will be here. Keep a lookout for it. The title will be 'The Things We Missed' and I already have big plans for it. I hope you guys have enjoyed it so far and I hope you enjoy the sequel. Let me know if you want to see anything special in the next book, or if you want something further explained. Either way, TILL NEXT TIME my friends!**


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